A Century Isn't Enough
by aLittleOblivion
Summary: Now in their mid twenties, a strange rift has developed between Natsu and his life-long friend and rival. Tired of the rejection, he sets out on a century quest only to be followed by the one person he sought to forget. Natsu and Gray now have a hundred years to make up for the time they had missed.
1. The First Step

Disclaimer: I know it, you know it, but hey, let's say it any way. I do not own any rights or even the smallest piece of Fairy Tail. Let's just take a moment and thank the great Hiro Mashima, without whom we wouldn't have such a fun story and I wouldn't have the chance to try my own writer's hand in a Fairy Tail tale.

A/N: Here we go folks. I know, I know, there have been just about a million and a half plus one fanfics pairing these two particular together, but guess what, I never have written one and have always wanted to so deal with it! Also, I am not up-to-date on Fairy Tail and never seem to get the time to catch up, so here are my apologies ahead of time for anything I get wrong. But, at the same time this is a work of my own mind and so I don't want to feel constrained in any particular way. This is a short intro, but I felt like it was at a good place to stop for the story to come. Hope you enjoy.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: The First Step**

Natsu Dragneel shrugged on his pack, smiling faintly back down the well-worn quiet dirt path to Magnolia. Just above the tree line, the fire dragon slayer could just make out the tapering spires of his home, the castle filled with the most insane and quick tempered power maniacs he had ever known. They were without a doubt a destructive force that could not be contained, one day surely ensuing the destruction of everyone and everything. Because if a Fairy Tail wizard did anything, they would do it without any reserve, giving their all simply because they knew no other way to be. He would miss them all.

The smile he had held as he left that family wavered, faltering with every step taken, carrying him one more pace away from them. Sure, he told them all he would be back and he meant it. But for the first time since he had arrived upon the guild hall's doorstep, a small strong-headed boy raised by a dragon who had ignited his heart and soul in an eternal flame, Natsu honestly didn't know if he would be able to return. Maybe he had bitten off more than he could chew, but if there was one thing the pink-haired dragon had, it was an insatiable appetite.

At least, that was how all the members of his family had seen it when he took on the century quest. The job old-man Gildarts had failed on had become Natsu's obsession. That was the general consensus around the chaotic guild hall. He was now twenty-five, the ace of Fairy Tail, the strongest in the land. Quite simply he had no one left who could put up a challenge against him. Natsu Dragneel was remarkably single-minded, seeking always a worthy challenge he could pit himself against. Those murmurings whispered around the corners of the hall in hushed voices every time Natsu would embark upon another 10-year mission only to return before the seasons did. They inevitably reached his wolfly-keen ears despite their attempts at hiding their thoughts.

Natsu left them to believe what they would. Never did he correct them, for the true motives behind his actions were still a baffling mystery even to him. Ever since he had become the ace of the guild, there was an ever growing unease settling permanently in his belly. And he'd come to pinpoint the source of that unease in one person. His life-long friend and rival had distanced himself from Natsu on that day. No longer did he start meaningless fights just so they could end up by their old creek, dueling until the sun set and the chilling bite of frigid ice with the burning ferocity of flame faded together.

Gray Fullbuster, that droopy-eyed stripping bastard, had drifted away, spending almost all of his time away from the guild on S-class quests. Natsu had grown tired of being in the hall without anyone but the damn metal brat dragon to pick a fight with. When he was twenty-three, Natsu's unease had solidified. Not only had Gray drifted away from him, but it was on purpose. It was only a matter of time until coincidence faded to design. They never saw each other. Natsu returned home after every mission only to find that Gray had left the night before. The one time Natsu had forgone writing home in order to surprise the pervy stripper, he'd been met with a surprised yelp in those dark crystal blue eyes. Gray had immediately dashed out of the hall, snatching a job request on his way.

Tired. That was the true motivator behind Natsu's need to find a way to leave the world he knew for as long as possible. His heart was tired of the rejection. Damn it all if he had not come to be closer to that ice princess than anyone else since Igneel had left him. It felt even worse this time. He was an abandoned child again, yet this time it was not a dragon foster-father, but rather a friend who had become more than a brother to him. Natsu needed to get away from it all or else he knew that he would snap. Before that could happen, Natsu set his sight on the century quest. It was the ultimate ticket free from that irritating pain lancing through his heart at home.

Blowing out his cheeks, Natsu raked his fingers back through his mane of pink spiky hair which he had grown out to trail to the edge of his shoulder blades. He still wasn't exactly sure why Gray's rejection had affected him so, tearing his heart and mind apart piece-by-piece, day-by-day. But now, he wouldn't have to think about it further. There was no certainty that he would survive this venture. Indeed all clues pointed to this mission being his demise. Either way, it was the answer Natsu sought free of the chains. Even if he made it through it all whole, it would be decades at the soonest before he would return back to this home.

Righting the sleeping roll at the top of his pack, Natsu set his eyes on the path before him.

It was midday when Natsu first caught the scent in the shifting wind through the trees. He frowned deeply, closing his eyes and taking in a deep drought. Mint and pine. There wasn't a single pine tree in this forest, and, Natsu snaked his tongue over his sharp canines, he'd never smelled that particular combination with its subtleties except for one place. It was the scent of winter, settling in among the mid summer day. Gray. Why?

Throughout the day, the scent enveloped him. Twice, Natsu had suddenly veered off the path, weed-whacking through the unmolested forest floor, yet the scent had continued to follow him. Every time the wind would shift, it would carry like gold-filigree along the warm air currents. Even when Natsu had stopped for a quick breather, the scent had surrounded him, yet it always maintained its distance, never growing in strength.

It was two hours before the sun set when Natsu stopped suddenly on the path. He growled, his fist igniting in a scalding fireball. The flames licked up his muscular forearm. His black eyes shot to their corners, nose twitching. He was a dragon at the rabbit hole. Ears pricking up, he narrowed in on the source of his aggravation throughout what should have been the beginning of a calming adventure until the mission began. His arm slashed through the air as he spun on the ball of his foot. A torrent of flames coursed out from his hand, setting the wooden world ablaze.

A sharp yell rang from the trees and a wall of clear ice shot into the sky.

A feral grin spreading his lips, Natsu stalked toward the wall, his steps heavy over the burning forest floor. Throwing another fireball from his fist, Natsu watched it splash across the smooth icy surface of the wall, reflecting a passion in his black eyes.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing!?" Gray, wide-eyed, and pissed as hell, appeared behind the wall as it fell away into nothing.

"What are _you_ doing, is the more important question." Natsu glared at the icemake mage letting his irritation spill out.

"Did you really take that century quest? Are you out of your mind, you flame-brained idiot!?"

"Hmph. What do you want, Gray?"

Gray's droopy eyes were focused. A cool tingling mist spilled out from his palms, blanketing the forest floor and squelching out the dancing flames Natsu had caused. "I'm not letting you go and get yourself killed. Damn it, Natsu, even Gildarts couldn't complete this quest! Don't be so damn reckless just because you need a challenge!"

Natsu's brow arched. This had been the first time in years he had actually heard Gray's voice. It was strange, even that small insignificant thing calmed the tight clenching pain in his chest. And that pissed him off. "So you came here to stop me from going?" His laugh barked among the solitude of the empty forest.

Shaking his head, Gray's icy eyes locked onto the fire dragon slayer's, the determination an iron pole. "Like hell I'd actually be able to convince a flame-brain like you to not do something so stupid and I know I wouldn't be able to bring you back by force now, Natsu. So, I'm coming with you!"

The pink haired wizard's eyes shot open in surprise. "What?"

"What," Gray smiled, his lips thin, his eyes like a wolf set on its target, "you got flames in you ears too, pinky?"

"Oh, you want to have a go, ice princess?" The mock-anger in Natsu's eyes couldn't even hope to hide the glee bubbling up through his body. Flames danced over his skin.

"I do, yeah, but I wouldn't want to have to explain to everyone why the ace's ass is in sling and why he couldn't even get out of the borders of Magnolia without getting beaten to a pulp."

Rolling his eyes, Natsu turned back to the trail. "Well, come along if you want. Don't know why'd you'd care anyway about a man you so clearly can't stand to even bare being around."

Gray caught up the dragon's side, and deep scowling frown heavy on his face. "Can't stand you?"

"Yeah, obviously, I haven't even seen you in two years. Don't know what I did to make you hate me. Never gave me a chance to even apologize for whatever it was. You just passive-aggressively walked away, you droopy-eyed bastard."

Gray let out a tight sigh, squeezing his temples in his hand, "idiot."


	2. An Unsure Voyage

Disclaimer: I know it, you know it, but hey, let's say it anyway. I do not own any rights or even the smallest piece of Fairy Tail. Let's just take a moment and thank the great Hiro Mashima, without whom we wouldn't have such a fun story and I wouldn't have the chance to try my own writer's hand in a Fairy Tail tale.

* * *

 **Chapter 2: An Unsure Voyage**

Natsu stoked the campfire, watching the flames dance to their own whim along the branch's skin. Gray sat a couple feet away on another log, not saying a word, barely stirring. The quiet was starting to burn a flash-fire in Natsu's mind, blurring his vision. The rest of the day, they walked side-by-side, but no words came. Natsu wanted to apologize, though he didn't know for what. He wanted to punch Gray square in his droopy eyes, but he couldn't bring himself to curl his fist. So they had walked, not saying a single word to each other. And still even as the night lay upon them the only sound in the darkness came from the crackling sparks of the campfire's spitting embers.

Finally, the silence broke with a soft pure musical tone. Natsu jerked, looking over to the icemake wizard, his eyes closed, his lips light over a shining flute made of Gray's icy soul, glistening with pure starlight. Natsu's heart caught in his chest, his lungs forgetting the taste of air as the music danced around him.

Gray's fingers moved along the flute's glimmering surface, weaving a solemn melody, opening his heart to the world through the quivering tones. It wandered, lost in the night, drifting along a twisting path from the highest of thrilling joys to the deepest of sorrows. Yet in the depths of its depressions, the crystal tone lingered.

A single tear trailed down Natsu's cheek. He stared blankly, lost along the ocean wave sweeping him away. The music stopped suddenly, Gray's dark blue eyes caught in surprise at Natsu, who quickly tried in vain to hide behind his arm, wiping his face vigorously.

"That's . . . beautiful," Natsu finally managed, their eyes locking together.

A faint smile tugged at the edge of Gray's mouth. Glancing down at the ice flute in his palms, he gave a small shrug. "It's just something I picked up."

Awe capturing him, the fire dragon slayer continued to stare at his old friend, forgetting in an instant all his feelings building over the neglect of the last years. "It's absolutely amazing." The corners of his mouth bent in the first genuine smile he managed in a year. "Who would of thought a squinty-eyed cold idiot could manage such moving song."

Catching his face in his palm, Gray let out a small chuckle. Gods, the flame-brain sure knew how to ruin a mood. But at least he was talking to him again. He had missed Natsu unbearably, but he stayed away for both of their goods. However, here he was despite the distance between them he had tried to lay. Nonetheless, Gray couldn't deny it felt good to laugh with Natsu once more.

"Hey, Gray," Natsu muttered, his gaze shifting back to the flames of the small campfire. "What did I do to make you despise me so?"

Quietly, Gray stared at the icemake flute in his palms, disappearing, "I never despised you."

"Then, why?" Natsu's fists clenched his pant legs, balling them beneath his fingertips.

"I had to get away from the guild."

"Why?"

"You wouldn't understand . . . I guess." Gray tossed the flute into the air. It spiraled, disappearing before it was even grazed by the fire's tongue. "What it's like to be in love with someone but they never see that part of you. You long hopelessly, and despite its hopelessness you know as a simple truth, you still hold on for some slight sign. Just a single sign that would mean for just one instant you may have your feelings returned.

"It just gets harder and harder every day to be around that person. As each day the sun sets, that sign seems further and further away. And then finally you begin to realize that it would be better if you just kept your distance away from that person, for your own sanity if nothing else." Gray's hands clenched, one inside the other. He stared with a downcast gaze as his thumb slid over his knuckles.

Natsu blinked repeatedly. "So it wasn't about me?" The relief evident on his face, Natsu leaned back on his log.

Gray just grunted.

"Thank goodness. I thought all this time that you hated me."

Without another word, Gray stood, turning his back to the flame-brained idiot. Two tears managed to streak from his cold eyes before he could stifle them. Without turning back to the dragon who had a claw squeezing his heart, Gray collapsed onto his bedroll.

Running his fingers through his spiky pink hair, Natsu smiled, staring at Gray's back. His friend had returned, and it was all some stupid misunderstanding. Silently he cursed himself for being so dumb. But, he admitted in the night, he'd never been good at understanding what people thought. Passion, anger, hunger, the need to protect the ones you love, those were a dragon's world. Those were what he understood. Humans were complicated creatures.

He ate the campfire before turning in as well.

The following morning, Natsu sat at the edge of their camp atop a pyre of stone. The breaking of sunlight upon the horizon bathed his face in the flames of life. The sky began to burn to rose. He took in a deep breath of the cool mountain air, savoring the spikes stabbing his lungs. Glancing back at Gray, he smiled. The light of the world washed over Gray's naked torso casting warmth, defining each impressive muscle sculpting his body. Natsu laughed to himself, even in his sleep that perv would strip to nothing. Letting his eyes linger on the sleeping man, Natsu couldn't help the happiness burning through his veins. Just having Gray back was enough. He didn't need to be on this quest now. But it would be a cold day that would see him back down on a promise. Plus, he tilted his faced to the crowning sun, closing his eyes and enjoying the soft fire, now he had Gray to himself. He would make up for lost time.

When Gray woke, they downed a small breakfast of cured meat and set back out on the dirt path. Gray formed another ice flute along the way and surrounded them in trilling song. Even the birds joined in, singing among the treetops along with Gray's flute's clear voice.

Natsu locked his hands behind his head, walking merrily down the road, his hips swinging. Gray stole glances at the battle-hardened body every chance he could, breaking the soft song each time. On one of these breaks, Natsu glanced back at the icemake wizard who quickly averted his gaze to the sky. "So who is it?"

"What?"

"The girl you are so head over heels for that you talked like a love-sick puppy last night. Who is it? Don't tell me it's Juvia . . . I mean she'd still take you in a heartbeat even though you've been rejecting her forever." Natsu's deep laugh boomed.

"None of your business, squinty-eyes."

"Ah, you're such a spoil sport," Natsu grinned, a childlike mischievousness glinting in his black sharp eyes. "Come on, just tell me. I mean we are going to be together for a loooong time. Might as well share it with me." His lips split to reveal his sharp dragon's teeth. "I'm your friend after all, right?"

Gray grunted, speeding up to overtake Natsu on the path.

"Come on, tell me," Natsu growled, shoving past the raven-haired man.

"No."

"Coooommmmme onnnnnn."

"Would you shut up!" Gray shouldered past the dragon.

"Only if you tell me."

"Gods, you are such a child!"

Their laughter filled the afternoon air, both men sprinting all out down the path trying to edge past the other. Seeing them, one would be hard pressed to see a difference between the two then and when they were small boys racing and competing with all their strength to outdo their rival.

It was Gray who collapsed first, only able to keep upright with his hands trembling over his knees. His gasps for air racked his burning lungs.

Natsu's deep laughter boomed. "I win!" Though the laughter suddenly died off for lack of breath. He too doubled over.

"Idiot," Gray mumbled, but couldn't help the broad grin.

The two boys dropped back onto the ground, savoring the air filling their lungs again. Gray propped himself up on his elbows, still chuckling. He wiped the stinging sweat out of his eyes. Turning to face Natsu, Gray enjoyed the glistening bare muscular chest underneath the open vest as it heaved. "You let your hair grow out."

Picking up the end of his spiky pink hair, Natsu laughed. "Oh, yeah. I guess you've never seen it, huh?"

"It looks good on you."

Turning to Gray with an incredulous look, Natsu's face flushed, pink blossoming along his cheeks, matching his mane of hair.

Gray winked. Natsu blushing, so cute. "It suits you. I like it."

"Thanks," Natsu mumbled, his eyes quickly darting to the ground. He shied away from the icemake wizard, trying in vain to hide his embarrassment. In a stab to regain his composure, Natsu grabbed the shirt at his side and threw it at the blue-eyed demon. "You threw that off while we were running."

"Thanks," Gray laughed, sliding the shirt over his head. "I swear I go through all my S-class reward money just buying new clothes. You wouldn't believe how much I lose." He tugged at the hem of the opal-tinted shirt, "I bet you that a couple clothing stores are going to go out of business in Magnolia without me there."

"You know, you don't have to come along with me. I mean," Natsu continued when Gray gave him an irritated glance, "there's no guarantee we will ever come back and you're leaving behind that person you love."

"Just shut up." Gray smoothed back the stray spikes of his black hair. He fell back, staring at the clouds drifting on a blank blue canvas overhead. Trying to steer the conversation away, he muttered, "what about you? We all mean so little to you that you just up and abandon everyone on a whim? What about Happy? You're his life, Natsu. What do you think he will do without you there?"

Natsu shrugged, taking in a breath as he crashed back to lie beside Gray in the grass. "He's got the kittens to take care of. That's what gives his life purpose now."

Purpose to life? Was this the Natsu he had always known? "Is that what you are doing here, trying to give your life some purpose."

"Nah," Natsu chuckled, waving his hand in front of his face as if swatting away some annoying flies. "Nothing so grandeur. I just got restless, that's all. I was sick of the emptiness that was starting to grow back home."

"Emptiness?"

Natsu nodded, but didn't deign to explain himself further. "Since we seemed to have covered the distance I planned to spread over four days, I think there's time for a nap." And with that he instantly fell into a snoring slumber.

Shaking his head, Gray tugged on his white jacket, flicking up the collar. Even in the summer, their run had left the midday chilly. Emptiness, huh? It was true, Gray thought, that this day was the first time he felt pleasure in his day. Natsu was a huge void in his life back in Fairy Tail, now filled, just the two of them alone on a path toward the century ahead.

The next two weeks carried the two opposites across Fiori to its very edge. They had shared all they would of themselves along the way. Eventually the dark areas became painfully apparent to the other and rather than tred upon unsteady ground in their fledgling new friendship, they avoided the topics. Their secrets would remain that between them. Even Natsu's childish pestering had ceased in the third day on the road.

Natsu groaned, his head hanging down, shoulders slumped over limp arms. "Do we have to?"

"Well what'd you expect? You take a job that'll take you away from Fiori and you weren't planning on taking a boat?"

"Can't you just freeze the ocean," Natsu whimpered, grabbing Gray's arm and cuddling up to him.

"Still such a baby." Gray hesitated, but couldn't help himself from taking in a deep draw of Natsu. He buried his nose in Natsu's spikey pink hair.

"What're you doing?"

"Nothing, you flame-brain idiot. Now, get on the damn boat!" Shoving Natsu onto the ship, Gray took a breath of the clean salt air before following.

On board, Gray cradled Natsu in his arms, running his fingers through the wild mane of pink hair.

"Thank you," Natsu managed to mumble into Gray's shirt.

"Mmhmm." Gray hummed in his self-induced hell. Gods how he wished he could be doing this not to Natsu, his friend, but to Natsu Dragneel, his lover. But, he couldn't help himself when, immediately upon boarding, Natsu keeled over, his cheeks puffing out. His skin had gone a clammy green in a second. And so, Gray found himself on the deck of the ship, leaning against the bowed wooden wall, Natsu's head resting against his chest.

"How . . ." Natsu's cheeks blew out before he managed to force everything back down his throat. "Ughhh, how long?"

"It's a two-week trip, Natsu," Gray soothed, continuing to run his fingers through Natsu's hair.

"Ugh, how long?"

"It's been twenty five minutes."

"Ugh!" Natsu twisted, pressing his face into Gray's hard chest.

"Shh. Just relax, it's okay." Resting his chin on Natsu's head, he closed his eyes. Squeezing Natsu tight, Gray dreamed of a day when he could just hold this man without an excuse. He would have to settle for these two weeks.

When the ship finally docked, Natsu bellowed a jet of flames into the sky. His arms flexed, strong muscles tensing and revealing all of his power. "We stopped moving!"

Gray chuckled, shrugging on his coat. "Come on you happy idiot. Let's get going, I've got a surprise that should get you back to one-hundred percent."

"A surprise?" Bouncing giddily along with Gray, they walked off into the new mysterious land.

* * *

A/N: I really should be studying for my finals, haha, but one little chapter couldn't hurt, right? It'll all work out in the end I suppose. I hope everyone who reads this will take a moment today or tomorrow just to stop and indulge in whatever catches your fancy and enthralls your passion for a little while. Taking time away from the toils of your demanding life is where you may find the colors of it that make the work worth doing. Those demanding tasks may not seem such a burden then.

Also, I would just like to thank everyone who has supported this story right out of the gate. You rock.

See you soon.

-Oblivion


	3. A Slice of Heaven

Disclaimer: I know it, you know it, but hey, let's say it anyway. I do not own any rights or even the smallest piece of Fairy Tail. Let's just take a moment and thank the great Hiro Mashima, without whom we wouldn't have such a fun story and I wouldn't have the chance to try my own writer's hand in a Fairy Tail tale.

* * *

 **Chapter 3: A Slice of Heaven**

The torrent of pestering questions Gray had expected from the fire dragon slayer never came. He wouldn't admit it, but he had been thinking of a way to get Natsu going ever since he had heard about the place from the captain of their small ship. There was something calling about that childlike innocence Natsu radiated when goaded. Maybe he loved thinking back to a time when they were both children, innocent, and without the weight of their hearts. Maybe it was just a part of Natsu Gray found so endearing. Or maybe it was the fact that for a little while at least, he could become the center of Natsu's world.

But those thoughts had ceased the second they had stepped into the tree line. Darkness incarnate engulfed them. The air was thick. The trees looked poisoned, their bark a sickly grey. A blanketing weight descended upon them making any movement a dreaded task.

Gray took a shaky breath. Even the air seemed to deny life. Barely any oxygen filled his lungs. Coiling around them, a thick snaking fog writhed and hissed like the open wound of the earth itself. For the first time in his life since Ur, Gray was strangely aware of his clothes. He silently thanked the cloth, a small boundary between him and the decay of the wasteland. Gray cinched his coat tighter at his throat.

"Well, at least we know we are in the right place," Natsu mumbled, holding up his finger and igniting his hand into a torch. The light he radiated only made it a couple feet before being extinguished by the murky woods. And so the two stood in quiet reservation at the border of a world which seemed intent on draining the life out of their bones, surrounded only with the comfort of the small light.

It wasn't in a romantic way, and it wasn't for his wish to be as close as possible to Natsu, that Gray sidled next to the dragon's side, but rather a drive of instinct – the instinct to hide. Giving a snort, Gray shook himself violently, cursing himself for his weakness. Clenching his jaw, he straightened his spine. "Gods, this place gives me the creeps."

Natsu's sharp eyes darted from corner to corner, though he relaxed a little next to Gray. "I don't think there's any danger." His nose wrinkled, "sure is disgusting, though."

And so the two, with their small world of light, descended into the bowls of the world.

"So, ugh, Natsu, What is the mission?"

"Haven't a clue."

"What!?"

Natsu shrugged. "Gramps said to come here. That's all I know."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Gray's hand shot back through his slick black hair. "You're telling me I'm here in this creepy-ass place on a life-threatening mission and you don't even know what the hell that mission is?"

"Well, no one asked you to come," Natsu snapped, a flame sparking dangerously in his eye. Just as quickly as his anger erupted, a frown fell over Natsu's face. "Sorry."

Gray's brow dropped. His immediate thought to react was to drive a knife of ice through Natsu's throat. No matter how pissed Natsu had made him through the years he never once had a homicidal thought . . . at least not in a very very long time. Gray blinked. "Natsu?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know . . ." Natsu's frown deepened, "I don't know why I reacted like that."

"It's . . . okay," Gray managed, deciding to forego admitting his own volatile thoughts. "It's been a long couple of days." Just as sudden as his anger had washed over his mind, a smile spread Gray's lips wide. He clapped his palms together, "so how about we calm down a little then?" Nodding his head to the side, he signaled Natsu to follow him through the darkness.

"Where are we going?"

"I told you I had a surprise didn't I?"

Natsu blinked repeatedly until his sharp canines were revealed with his grin. "That's right! 'Kay let's forget this freakin' creepy place for a little while!"

They walked for ten minutes in what seemed to Natsu to be a completely random direction. "You do, uhhh, know where you are going, right?"

"Yeah, 'course I do." Ducking under a thin clawing branch, Gray smiled back to the pink haired dragon, his black eyes shimmering with light from his palm. Gray held the wooden limb out of the way until Natsu passed. "The general direction at least. The captain told me which way to go from where he left us. I'm betting on your nose to get us the rest of the way." He winked. Gray glanced at the darkness behind their small wall of light.

That was, if the place they were heading was still there. Gray had assumed at the time that the captain's grumbling was just at the passing of missed time. It was easy enough to pass off as the common behavior of sad wonderment at the changing of a home while away from its hearth. But now, Gray started to understand if only a little. Something dark was consuming this land. The place the captain had described may have been swallowed whole.

"So, what am I-" Natsu froze, falling into a battle-ready crouch.

Gray moved on instinct, placing their backs together. He brought his hands to the ready, a cool mist enveloping his fingers. "What is it?"

"It's," Natsu stood, his strong muscular shoulders relaxing, "it smells good!" A grumbling from the fire mage's stomach reached Gray's ears just as Natsu seemed to float forward, his body being pulled by a strange otherworldly force. "Something smells really good! Not like the rest of this disgusting place at all! There's food!"

"Natsu wait!" Gray cursed when the idiot pulled further and further ahead. That stupid idiot was ruled by his damn stomach! He caught up with the fire mage, grabbing his shoulder with a strong grasp. Gray's eyes shot wide.

They reached a clearing. Iron rods bordered it, separating life and death like a keen knife. Within the ethereal purple dancing flames atop the poles life thrived in utter contrast to the world outside. It was a borderline, pandemonium, separating heaven and hell. For within it's protective wall, it seemed a paradise.

Light bathed the clearing as clear and bright as the sun at its zenith.

"Nat—su? Wait, what are you doing, you idiot!?"

The fire dragon slayer tore at a feast atop a wooden camp table. He shoveled meat, biscuits, yams, roasted asparagus, spiced apples - Gods, it really was a feast covering the entire table's girth – into his mouth, sending scraps of food flying past his face in a maelstrom. Wrapping his arms around his love, he threw them both onto their backs, sprawling on the fresh grass.

"'Ay! What 't 'ell' oo doin'?" Bits of half chewed food spat past Natsu's lips.

"Flame-brain, idiot, moron, fucking stupid dumbass!" Gray pounded his fist against Natsu's chest. "What the hell are you doing!? Don't you find it fucking strange that there's this little world within this desolated place left unmarred? And don't you stop and think for a fucking second in your pea-sized brain that it makes no sense for there to be a table of freshly cooked food prepared here? What if it's a trap?"

The pink haired dragon rolled his eyes at the man on top of him, pinning him to the ground. "It smells fine, ice-for-brains."

"You think you can just sme—"

"Gray," Natsu chuckled, "I don't know how or why this place exists, nor why that food is there. But none of it smells bad, 'kay? If there was anything wrong with it, I would smell it! In fact, it only smells good."

"Just 'cuz it smells goo—"

"No, Gray, I mean it smells _good_. Someone set this patch or world aside and they did it with good intent. I can smell that, Gray. And that's all I need to know." Pushing the icemake wizard off of him, Natsu sprang up to his feet. "Now, I'm starving, so deal with it! Besides," Natsu grinned widely at the raven-haired man, "there's a hot spring right over there! So I'm going to stuff myself then enjoy a long relaxing bath and nothing you say will change my mind."

Gray sat warily at the table watching Natsu as he restarted his maniacal devouring of the feast. The worry grasping his heart was indescribable. But, he sighed, this had to be the place the captain had spoken of, "a little slice of heaven in a dark and weary world."

"Here." Natsu held up a dark red cherry, proffering it to the ice mage who for his part refused to acknowledge its existence. The black eyes of the dragon slayer shot to Gray and an amused fire glinted. Without any preamble, Natsu threw himself on top of the man next to him, sending them both crashing back to the ground. Digging his hands and knees into Gray's limbs, he pinned him to the forest floor. "Now are you going to eat, or am I going to have to force you to?"

"Get off me!" Despite the true worry he had held at the place, at the circumstance, Gray felt his body churning. The pink haired idiot was too damn close! Internally, a bolt of shock caused him to curse as he felt his arousal fighting against the tightness of his pants. Gods, he had to get free!

Natsu's nose wiggled, giving him pause for a second. The scent wafting up from Gray set his blood on fire. Was Gray . . . hard? Shaking his head, his black eyes locked onto the ice wizard's. He was a man. He knew how easily something could turn the body on. He would pass it off – for Gray's sake – pretending that he didn't notice. There was no need to embarrass the friend he had just got back in his life, not over something like a simple biological response. Though, Natsu grinned, he would file it away and save it for a day when he could taunt the ice-princess. He'd save it for a day after they were far away from this haunted land.

The day Natsu would use that moment to goad Gray into a fight would never come.

From his right hand, Natsu tossed the berry into his mouth without letting up on his prey. His grin brightened, holding the crimson red cherry between his sharp white teeth. "Last chance, frosty, you either stop struggling or this is going in your mouth!

Gray's dark blue eyes shot wide. His chest thundered underneath Natsu. He was captivated by that dark berry between those succulent lips. His arms started to shake.

And those lips met his.

Gray's world exploded. A burning inferno pressed against his lips for only a brief second, but it sent coursing flames through his entire body. His back arched. The shock jolted through his spine, down and back up to throw his brain into a plain of fast cracking lightning strikes.

Natsu sat back, letting Gray's arms free. His booming laughter filled the forest air. Sidling off of Gray, the fire dragon slayer had to clutch onto the grass to keep himself from falling over. The laughter unsteadied him, barely able to stay upright as it shook his body.

Swallowing the cherry hard, Gray slowly snaked his tongue over his cold lips, emblazoning the feeling of Natsu's lips in his mind forever.

Of course, Natsu was sure a spiky ball of ice was already on its way to his head. But nothing came. He glanced back to the man still prone on the grass, his black hair laid over his eyes. He didn't move. That dropped Natsu's brow. "Gray?"

Finally, the icemake wizard stirred, pushing himself off the ground, only to fall onto the table's bench. He wordlessly started to eat.

"I thought you weren't going to eat this stuff."

"Well there's no use now, is there? I already ate something, so if I'm going to die from it, I might as well die on a full stomach."

The icy layers to Gray's tone shot resentment through Natsu. He sat next to his friend, silently starting on his food again. "I'm sorry, Gray. I thought it'd be funny, it was just a joke."

"Yeah . . . I know." And that was precisely the dagger thrown in between his ribs. Simultaneously, Gray got to experience one of his wildest impossible dreams, as well as a deep enveloping depression, knowing that it meant nothing to the fire wizard next to him.

"Gray, I didn't mean—"

"Yeah, I know!" The icemake wizard shot back acridly. "Just shut up and eat your food."

After finishing off the feast made for twelve, the two boys made their way to the small natural hot spring. It's bubbling surface sent coiling steam into the chilly forest air. Natsu immediately stripped, throwing himself into the molten water.

Gray watched him with a spike of guilt. He watched the smooth firm skin of taut muscles across his back bend with each of his movements. He watched the powerful legs disappear underneath the churning surface of the water. He watched . . . his face shot through a dark pink. Turning his back to the fiery eyes of the man he longed for more than anything in the world, Gray thumbed the clasp of his coat. He hesitated. Him. The Fairy Tail stripper, who everyone had been seen naked hundreds of times, including the man with him now, worried about letting his clothes drop, exposing himself to that man.

Taking in a deep breath, he closed his eyes and like the master he was did away with his clothes in a split second. Unlike, Natsu, the icemake wizard took his time, ever so slowly lowering himself into the scalding water.

"Thanks for this," Natsu let out a long contented sigh when Gray had finally managed to submerge himself in the water. "I thought you hated things like this."

"Not hate, really, it's just so freakin' hot."

"You'd be happier in a freezer, wouldn't you?"

Gray said nothing in reply, most of his power going toward avoiding looking at the strong defined wet muscles across from him above the water's surface. "I thought you'd like it the second the captain told me about it." Though he didn't tell me about its odd surroundings, Gray thought to himself.

"I appreciate it." Natsu let out another long sigh. He smiled blissfully. "Exactly what I needed after two weeks on that damn rocking ship."

Fingertips glancing over his lips, Gray looked down from the star-filled night sky above to the naked dragon before him. "Hey, Natsu, do you have someone you like?"

"Hmmm?" Natsu moaned sleepily. His right hand broke the water's surface to flick lazily at the air. "No, not really."

"Not going out with anyone?"

"No?" Shifting in the hot spring, Natsu opened his eyes to give Gray a confused look. Then after a flash of understanding, he smiled playfully. "You worried you got competition for your girl back home?"

Rolling his tongue over his bottom lip, Gray stared at Natsu, assessing how much was wise. Gods, with how clueless Natsu was he could probably come out and just say, 'I'm in love with you,' and he still wouldn't get it. So, Gray decided it was safe to at least say, "it's not a girl."

"Woah, really?" Now Natsu really shot up. He blinked in surprise. "I didn't know you swung that way!"

Gray cringed, dropping his eyes to the water.

"Ahhh, sorry," the dragon slayer said shamefully, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's no big deal, I didn't mean to react like that."

"Thanks."

"Well, I guess I understand why you didn't want to tell me who it was." Natsu leaned back on his elbows at the rim of the spring. "But now, will you tell me who _he_ is?" When no reply came, Natsu groaned. "Don't tell me it's Loke, I mean you did partner with him. Oh god, please don't tell me it's Laxus." An image of that blond haired narcissist in his tight leather pants flashed across his mind. He had an inkling that Laxus swung that way too, though if that was Gray's target, he had some serious competition with that green-haired pretty boy, Freed. "Wait, is it Lyon?" That would make sense. "No, hold on, those guys are never at the guild hall, so they don't work. Who is it?"

"I'm getting out."

"What? Wait, okay, I'm sorry, whoever he is, it's cool man."

Gray turned his back to the pink-haired demon before stepping out of the steaming water.

"Gray, don't worry, with an ass like that, I'm sure he'll want you."

Fire burned Gray's cheeks and the tips of his ears just as the hot spring froze solid behind him. He stalked away, grabbing his clothes in a bundle. "Idiot."

Around Natsu, the ice melted back to a roiling boil. His deep laugh boomed.

* * *

A/N: Hope you all enjoyed the latest chapter. Sometimes people ask me how I write, and it seems like telling them the truth just leaves it all sounding weird and in a way counter-productive to getting my work to be respected. But, this chapter was a prime example of the majority of things I write. I had a single scene with about four lines in my head (props to whoever knows which scene that was). And I sat there wondering how and the heck am I going to get there? Inevitably I couldn't come up with anything. So, I just started writing. And bam, some magical gnomes came in and created a whole story without me having to think. And the kicker, it perfectly leads into both subplots for the next chapter. Yay! *clap clap clap* Plus, we now know what the heck the two boys are up against in the new land . . . well, kinda (I mean . . . of course I already knew what their mission was . . .) I then look back and wonder how the heck it all manages to flow. Or maybe it's my own delusion and it doesn't flow at all! Pshh, I'll take the former.

Oh and as a side note, when you are not thinking, it is always funny to go back and see some subconscious tells playing out in your own writing. For instance, during the hot spring scene, I somehow dropped the "r" from Gray twice. Freudian slip much?

Well enough of my inane ramblings. The next chapter, be forewarned, is going to be a string of dream sequences. Going to be a lot of fun, folks!

Until then, be good.

-Oblivion

 *******WARNING: This is an M rated story. Up until now we've been pretty PG, maybe a little T, but the next chapter is definitely not**********


	4. Only in His Dreams

**Chapter 4: Only in His Dreams**

The ground shook.

Gray flew forward, barely catching himself, his palms crashing with the hard rock inches from his nose. Scrambling to his feet, Gray cursed at the sharp bite of jagged rocks imbedded in his skin. He didn't have time for that now. Pumping his arms, he begged his legs to carry him faster. Had to escape. Had to run.

Another wave slammed into him. The earth itself roiled with the aftershock, of what Gray couldn't tell, but he knew it was dangerous, and he knew it was coming for him. Doubling over, Gray let himself a few ragged breaths before flying back into his headlong dash. Gods, he felt like he'd been running for years!

A primordial fear boiled up inside the icemake wizard. He knew this fear. It was the same back then, back when the demon of destruction, Deliora, destroyed everything. Destroyed his whole world. Everything he had, everything he was, was trampled on by that demon. The only thing that brought the shattered pieces of his life back together had been Fairy Tail. But now, even that was gone. Gray had forsaken them, running when he should have stayed to fight. The beast was gaining on him.

Dimly, he acknowledged that it was his due punishment for turning from his friends and family. As hard as he tried, he couldn't distance himself from the beast chasing him. All his life, he had grown, become a more powerful wizard, but had anything really changed?

Taking in a breath, Gray clenched his teeth, setting his icy blue eyes. Slowly, he turned to face the destructive force encircling upon him like a hunter, its prey finally trapped. Chilling biting air swirled around Gray's palms.

The trees around him bowed and snapped, torn apart by a hurricane wind. His hair whipped across his face. On the horizon a lone figure shot into the air from the uniform spanning line. It twisted skyward, a jet of fire shooting from its maw. It twisted again before its enormous translucent wings snapped open and it angled straight for the icemake wizard. He stared at it, accepting his doom.

But hell if he wasn't going to go out fighting. Every beat of the beast's wings was a war drum of sonic explosions, ripping the very air apart. It swooped down from the sky, diving as a mighty eagle before righting itself in front Gray and slamming into the ground. Hard corded muscles rippled in the shockwave. The ice in his hands formed into two blue crystalline long swords.

The dragon's mock laughter boomed, capable of unsettling even the mightiest warrior's nerves. Swinging its massive red-scaled head down, it met Gray with large deep black eyes of pure wild.

Gray's teeth clenched tighter. The dragon's scales were the color of blood, covering as the thickest armour over its breast. Its white claws and spinely horns shown and gleamed with the apparent delight of soon being able to bury themselves in flesh once again. The fiery red faded to a pink along the dragon's strong neck and shining like a film in its leathery wings.

Then the dragon's lips parted revealing broadswords, brilliantly white, tapered to a deathly point, in a triumphant grin. "You think you can beat me ice-boy?" The fangs sparked reflecting the shimmering of freshly birthed flames in the dragon's throat as he chortled.

He couldn't run now. Gray had made his bed, now it was time for the plunge. He didn't really mind, he realized. Anything to stop the endless running. It was now. His time. Brandishing the two ice long swords, Gray set his eyes on his fate, lying with the deadly dragon before him. "Come at me now! Let's end this!"

Flames spurted from the dragon's nostrils in an amused snort. Then, it drew itself onto its hind legs, rippling in muscle and holding the dragon towering over the icemake wizard. His jaw opened to the sky, releasing a celestial roar, revealing his might and prowess, enough to rend the world in two. Its huge spanning pink leathery wings unfurled, sweeping forward in a single blow.

Gray flew. He watched the sky above him speed past with an accepting dispassion. Finally, he crashed back down to Earth, unable to move. Everything that was inside had escaped his frame. Gray laughed softly, it was over, just like that. One blow, one move, the dragon had overwhelmed him without even a single touch.

Pounding, earth-shaking footsteps quaked as the dragon advanced on his prey. Gray bore a slight smile, closing his eyes, and surrendering to the inevitable. He didn't even flinch as the dragon pinned him to the ground, mythril claws gouging the earth above his shoulders. The weight was oppressive, smashing Gray into the ground just as easily as Gildarts' destruction magic.

A scathing hot flame washed over his face. And he welcomed it. That flame, he thought, would be the end of him, but he longed for its warmth. For too long had he been cold and alone. The fire grew hotter still, the dragon's teeth a mere inches from engulfing Gray's face.

Then the fire met him. Gray's cold blue eyes shot open as he moaned deep inside his chest. The flame coursed through his lips where they met the dragon's . . . but it wasn't a dragon. Above him, pinning him to the ground, was a pink spiky-haired prince. His face spoke of royalty and yet in his eyes still shone the feral nature of his dragon soul. He was clad in dark ruby steel, sparkling like an ethereal fire in sharp tapering points.

Gray was baptized in the flame.

Drawing his fingers through the dragon prince's soft pink hair, Gray submitted, pulling the dangerous man, born of the hottest fire, deeper into his soul.

The dragon prince grinned, his strong black eyes glinting. Pulling back, he drew his course battle-worn palms to frame the ice wizard's face. "Why were you running?"

The cold icy eyes of the wizard began to melt. He blinked away the tears trailing down his face. "I was scared." Looking up at the prince, Gray quivered with the life returning to his cold frame.

"Hmph," the dragon prince dove forward sealing their lips together once more.

Gray closed his eyes, letting himself be filled by the light of the prince's flame.

But a growl soon escaped the prince's lips. Gray's looked up at the majestic boy, frowning. The dragon prince shook his head violently. Another growl passed threateningly through his tight pressed lips.

There was something strange in that growl. It was feral, ferocious, and yet it was not the growl of a predator hunting its prey. It was something so akin to it. But different. Wha-

* * *

Gray leapt from his dream world, his chest pounding a thundering cadence. He felt the heat of his blood. He was on fire. Then, there was another growl. Bemused, Gray turned to the slumbering dragon slayer sprawled out on his bedroll next to him. His icy fingers trailed over his lips. "Natsu."

A deep moan rolled from Natsu's throat. He growled again. "Gray."

The icemake wizard cocked his head at the sleeping dragon.

* * *

The heated bliss of hot springs usually soothed Natsu's soul. They were the embodiment of relaxation, easing away all extraneous thoughts until he would be left to drift along, a spectator, with the rising steam. But not this time. If anything, he was more pent up than when he submerged into the welcoming roiling grip of the water. And the cause, well, that was standing in front of him. Buck naked. Dripping wet.

Natsu bit his lip, trying his hardest to hide his raging arousal from his icy friend. But damn, did he have to have such a perfect ass? What was Natsu supposed to do? He watched the smooth firm globes move as Gray dashed off, clutching his crumpled clothes to his chest.

Running a wet hand through his long pink hair, Natsu grumbled. What was this? He'd seen the perv strip a million times. But this was . . . different. The hot spring's whispering steam's scent seemed to shift. Natsu's head spun.

The world tilted.

Gray's arousal. That strong pungent smell. It wrapped around Natsu, catching his breath, filling his lungs, embers glowed in the pit of his being. His pupils dilated as his heart quickened. Deep inside, the fire shaping his life became turbulent. Natsu set his gaze on the spot of Gray's disappearance. A fierce snarl upon his lips, Natsu hauled himself out of the now boiling water. Naked, Natsu stomped toward the clearing.

"Natsu?" Gray's beautiful blue eyes looked frozen in shock. Natsu was standing there, as hard as he could possible be, with a flame dancing in a form of chaos, of passion, in his eyes.

"Gray," Natsu growled lowly, he took a step forward. "Is it just that one guy or is it all guys?"

"What!?" The ice wizard frowned at his friend. "Of course, it's not all guys, idiot. I mean it's like being strai-"

"What about me?" Lunging forward, Natsu wrapped a tight death grip around Gray's wrist. The wild animal within him burned all else away.

"What about y-"

His other fist balled in Gray's silky raven hair, Natsu shoved them together. He growled seductively, closing his eyes in embrace of the wintery world wrapping around his tongue. It was a cold plunge, like throwing himself into a snow-melt lake before sunrise. It sent a bolt of pure electricity through Natsu. He broke their lips apart, breathing hard and ragged.

But, Gray grabbed him and threw them back together.

Natsu's burning fingers trailed down the ice mage's naked chest. When had he thrown off that shirt? Not that he was complaining! The dragon let out a low rumbling growl again, digging his sharp teeth into Gray's bottom lip. He grinned as Gray's face shot back, his eyes closed, in pure ecstasy.

His hands roamed the smooth svelte body of the ice wizard. Damn he was so perfect! Even every scar across his rippled, cut body was a perfect accentuation to the amazing man he was.

"Natsu?"

"Mmmmm?"

"You're kinda stabbing me."

Chuckling, Natsu stared unblinking with a dangerous fire into Gray's. He held Gray's gaze as his hot palm trailed down the hills of Gray's sculpted stomach. Gods, was this guy a damn Greek statue? No, he may be cold to the touch, but there was a ravenous fire just underneath the skin. Natsu could taste it. He licked his chops. His hand found its way to Gray's zipper. Heating his hand even more, he palmed the turgid pole straining against the taut fabric. The dragon slayer sneered, his lips pulling back, "You're one to talk. Do you even know how hard you are?"

Gray whimpered, biting his lip. He nodded frantically. "Y-yess."

The dragon within him made Natsu take Gray's mouth again, diving his canines into the soft bottom lip. He elicited a sultry moan from the icy man. That shot straight through Natsu's frame. The world tilted further, wobbling carelessly.

Hot iron dribbled into Natsu mouth. Scraping his tongue between his teeth, he held Gray's gaze as he lapped at the red burning blood. Gods! The state Gray was in, the endorphins in his blood, it was the strongest aphrodisiac in the world.

Natsu cringed, squeezing his eyes tight and tried to calm the inferno of his mind.

"What's wrong?" Gray asked in a low sweet tone, trailing his cold fingers across Natsu's burning skin. It tingled like a cool ocean's kiss upon his molten chest.

"No!"

His hands shot away, a hard frown falling over Gray's face. "What is it?"

A rolling dangerous growl rumbled in Natsu's chest. "Can't. Going to cu- Just give me a second."

The frown immediately reversed to a victorious smirk. "Oh hell no. You're too damn hot for me to hold back now. You just control yourself big boy." Gray's cold fingers trailed down the V of Natsu's abs, one digit at a time making its way to the prize at the end of the road. His fingers wrapped around Natsu's girth, barely. "And I do mean fucking big!"

Natsu hissed. His sharp white teeth clenched. He threw his head back to the sky. Gray's fingers were an enticing cold shock to his system. "Gray, seriously. Just, ahhhhh! Come on! Don't you want-"

"Hmmm," Gray purred, nipping at Natsu's red enchanting lip. "Yeah, you're right. I want the main event from you. I need it." His hand fell from its teasing embrace on Natsu. "I guess I can't get that if you get too over-excited, like a little boy."

Natsu's eyes parted, the black of his eyes burned away with the fire of his desire. The corner of his mouth bent. With both his palms on the ice wizard's chest, he shoved firmly, sending him flying to the ground.

"What the hell was that!?"

Wasting no time, Natsu pounced, straddling the unbelievably perfect man underneath him. He reached back, finding nothing but skin. A small chuckle bounced his shoulders. When in the hell did he lose the pants too?

Dropping to Gray's neck, Natsu bit down hard, digging in his canines, marking his mate.

"Gahhh!"

Wiping the saliva off his mouth, Natsu grinned, diving back down to take another taste of the beautiful man. His tongue snaked out between his sharp teeth, running over Gray's nipple, eliciting another shrieking gasp. Glancing up, he smirked. Gray's head was thrown back into the grassy forest floor, his face buried in the crook of his arm.

Natsu growled, gripping Gray's elbow. "Don't hide. Show me your sexy faces!"

Gray moaned, unable to muster the energy to fight the dragon slayer as he pulled his arm away revealing his beat red cheeks.

"Much better." Natsu dived back to nibble on the tasty treat laid out before him. His fiery eyes remained locked on Gray's as his tongue explored the hard body underneath him. Sitting up, Natsu slowly rolled his tongue over his lips. Everything was clear, so vivid. Every taste. Every smell. Natsu savored every little detail of Gray's perfectly sculpted body. And yet, he felt himself swallowed in a haze, unsure of where or why. The only thing on his mind was the man between his legs.

"What do you say we get to that main event? I don't think I can last much longer with your body so delicious."

Gray moaned, his skull giving a dull thunk with the forest floor. Limply, his hand shakily rose and managed to point in the general direction of his pack. "Lube."

Natsu blinked, cocking his head to the side with a small chuckle. "You brought lube with you?"

Just barely nodding, Gray sighed among the clouds, his hand falling lifeless back to the grass as Natsu bounded there and back again in the flash of snapping flames.

Grazing his fingertips down Gray's inner thighs, he ran slow small circles over Gray's entrance, enticing a shudder from the ice mage. He shifted back, pulling Gray's legs up and hooking them over his shoulders.

Gray winced as a finger slid into him. It burned. Natsu's hand. So hot. But it hurt.

The dragon slayer had calmed some, enough to pay careful attention to his mate's condition. He bit the inside of his cheek between his dragon fangs. "You're too tight. Relax."

"Can't. Hurts! Natsu, there's no way I'm ever going to be able to fit you."

Continuing to work his finger inside the hole, while he thought, Natsu idly explored the warm insides beneath the cold exterior this raven-haired man had erected. Gray clutched at the grass, moaning a guttural gasp of need.

With a seductive smirk, Natsu leaned into Gray, taking a deep drought of the heady scent. "I know what'll make you relax."

"Wh-ahhhhh!"

Natsu swallowed the throbbing arousal, taking all of Gray's length in one go. It hit the back of his throat bringing tears to his eyes, though buried into Gray as he was, the scent of Gray's lust completely overwhelmed him, pushing him far from the cliff's edge. The last bit of control he had managed until then disappeared without a trace. His heart beat even faster, to the brink. Natsu dimly thought he'd flat line at any moment as he bobbed. He slurped along Gray's shaft savoring his taste.

"Natsuuuu!"

Pulling up, Natsu formed a ring with forefinger and thumb at the base of Gray's hardness. He wiped the corner of his mouth on the back of his hand. "Go ahead, Gray, I want to taste you. Let me see every bit of you!" With that, he dived back down, twisting his burning tongue around Gray.

And he was rewarded. It was sweet in a way. Salty. The pungent flavor overwhelmed Natsu's sharp senses. But, it was Gray! It was delicious!

Licking his lips, he wiggled a second finger into Gray, easily sliding into the hole he had been loosening while he got his snack. Natsu beamed, "I knew it, feel how relaxed you are!? Gods, you are so hot inside, Gray! You feel so good."

"Natsu put . . . in."

"You aren't ready yet."

"NATSU! Please!"

Lips curling in a vicious snarl, Natsu aligned himself and Gray. "It's your own damn fault if you get hurt!"

"Don't care! Need you!"

Growling low and throaty, Natsu resonated the animalistic call, a drive of pure lust. Driving his hips forward, Natsu plunged into Gray. He threw his head back, hissing. So tight! Natsu doubled over, planting his hands on either side of Gray. Locking their lips together, Natsu pistoned into Gray.

They both screamed.

"Natsu!"

"Sorry, but I'm not going to last long."

"You're so hot! It's burning. Fill me! Fill me up with your boiling seed, Natsu!"

Those words snapped Natsu's mind. He growled in growing intensity with each thrust. Finally, he opened his jaw to the sky, letting out a fearsome roar. He collapsed forward, falling toward Gray's smooth svelte body.

* * *

Gray sat there, supporting his head on an elbow, watching with attentive love as Natsu fidgeted in his sleep. His growling had become heavier, and faster, rumbling past his lips in quickened staccato. The ice mage watched with blissful amusement until a terrifying roar escaped Natsu's mouth. Natsu's chest pounded with short shallow breaths. Maybe it was a nightmare, Gray realized, reaching out and shaking Natsu's shoulder.

Black eyes sprang open in the forest night as the fire dragon slayer groaned, "Graay!" He blinked. Swallowing hard, he stared at his icy friend. "Gray?"

* * *

A/N: I had a ridiculously fun time writing this chapter. Uhh, and not just Natsu's dream sequence! I swear! Actually, I believe Natsu's dream was the most explicit sex scene I've ever written so that was pretty interesting. I ended up getting more into it than I thought I would. Honestly, I was mostly looking forward to writing Gray's dream. Generally, I tend to write in metaphors and grandiose themes so having a chance to make those the explicit content was fun. Plus, as much fun as the hot and heavy scene is, I'm much more of a romantic, so exploring their emotion and love in Gray's dream was a joy.

Obviously, this chapter took on a very different spectrum. Let me know what you think.

We are going to be jumping right back into our mysterious new land in the next chapter with the added benefit of Gray's and Natsu's memories of their dreams to add a little spice to their already complicated relationship.

Stay tuned

-Oblivion


	5. Oppressive Weight

**Chapter 5: Oppressive Weight**

Trudging through the desolated ground, Gray grumbled silently to himself, watching the back of the dragon slayer breaking their path through the decaying forest floor. The place was disturbing. It chilled even Gray's cold gut, unsettling the confidence he usually held high and true when on a mission. But even more than that, was Natsu. The ice wizard's lips puffed out with his dismay. Ever since they had woken, a distance separated the two as sure as a rigid ice wall. Natsu had mumbled, not saying more than two words at a time. He avoided Gray's eyes and set out after a quiet breakfast to take the lead and solidify the displacement between them with a gap of land.

The pain in his chest was unbelievable. In all the time he had longed for Natsu from afar, in all the desperation of years of unrequited love, he had never felt this miserable. Maybe it was the proximity to the man who had a death grip on his heart that was bringing the stone pillars of his mind to a crumbling rubble. But, it was more than that, Gray dimly thought to himself. It was this place. The dreary world around him seemed to warp and wrap, twisting and bending to rip his body apart piece by piece.

He looked back up to the fire dragon, his pink hair trailing down behind his pack, white scaly scarf limp, falling down his side in the still air. His strong shoulders stiff behind his bedroll. The fiery Fairy Tail brand on his shoulder seemed to glow like a phoenix's breath upon its holder in the murky forest. Not once since they started out had Natsu looked back at Gray. What had he done? That was the hardest problem Gray had ever faced. How could he make it right when he didn't even know what he had done to drive Natsu into separating them?

Suddenly, Natsu's wry smile sparkled in his memories. The first night they had shared by the sputtering fireside on the outskirts of Magnolia two weeks previous blazed into his mind.

 _Natsu blinked repeatedly. "So it wasn't about me?" The relief evident on his face, Natsu leaned back on his log. "Thank goodness. I thought all this time that you hated me."_

Trailing his fingers through his black hair, Gray wondered with a pang of guilt, if this how Natsu felt back then. No, the way he felt now had to be worse. Because it wasn't just a friend distancing himself, it was his love turning his heart upside down, constricting with each beat. But this was ridiculous. Gray wasn't like that flame-brain. Picking up his pace, he clenched his fists at his side and drove forward to close the distance between them.

Natsu bit his lip between his sharp dragon fangs. The phantoms of his dreams twisted around his woken-world. When he looked upon his friend, he didn't see that icy perv he'd known since he was a little boy. He saw the man of his dream. The raven-haired beautiful man with crystal blue eyes, quivering beneath him. Natsu held out his palms, clenching them slowly, before releasing them again. He still felt Gray's smooth skin.

What brought it all on? It had to just be Gray's confessions before he had fallen asleep. Of course, that was it, just the idea of the ice-princess desiring a man had been the catalyst in his dream world. And the scent. The scent that lingered in his sharp nose. Gray's arousal. Blood trickled into his mouth from his pierced lip before Natsu was able to shake himself back into the world at hand. He couldn't face him.

Just looking into that beautiful . . . just looking into that _face_ set his blood on fire. Even though hours had passed as they wandered aimlessly into the dark forest, the simmering spark through his system refused to die.

"So, what do you think?"

The fire dragon slayer bit back the scream in his throat, just barely able to suppress the shock. Gray was inches away, his blue eyes pierced him, spears of ice lancing through his nerves. "Th-?"

"What do you think is up with this place?" Gray's arms crossed over his smooth bare chest. The ink of the Fairy Tail emblem drew tantalizingly to Gray's heart.

Suddenly ice froze along his spine. The fire mage's shriek filled the air just as flames jetted from his jaw. He growled, burning, whipping fire burst from his palms. "What the hell was that?"

"Hmph," Gray smirked, tapping his forearm with a free finger. "I asked you a question, flame-brain. Pay attention."

"Put some clothes on!" Pink blossomed across Natsu's cheeks, burning to the tips of his ears. He averted his eyes, quickly darting to intensely examine a withering blade of plain grass.

Gray blinked, glancing down to find himself completely naked. "What the hell?" He jumped into the air, freezing awkwardly. "Crap, help me find them."

"Idiot." Flame danced uncontrollably across Natsu's skin. He snorted, straining his neck to hold his gaze away from his hot fri-damn it! His pervy stripping friend . . . "Go find 'em yourself."

"I'm serious, Natsu! I've got like four changes of clothes. Do you know how long we are going to be out here!? I'm going to end up freakin' naked all that time."

Natsu's body trembled. A cool icy mist washed over his mind, the naked icemake wizard winking at him and nodding him over. Squeezing his eyes shut, he threw his head back and forth. "Damn it, fine." Spinning around, Natsu tried his best to avoid Gray . . . and his smooth naked skin . . . from his chest down to his . . . Natsu's eyes darted over while he slammed through the woods, stealing glances at the sculpted svelte body.

They continued throughout the day, traveling a great distance, though unsure of how far they had gone. Everything looked the same. It was a never-ending expanse of death coiling across the ground. Even Natsu's keen sense of smell did little to differentiate one stretch of land from another.

Natsu decided to take the first shift that night. He leaned his back against the withering hulk of a tree's trunk, staring out into the pitch-blackness. He glanced at Gray's soft sleeping face, light breaths passing over his inviting lips. Scoffing at his own idiocy, Natsu shifted his attention back to the black wall and the forest shrouded beyond. His ears were keen, straining for the slightest sound of warning. Though, nothing came that night. Nothing passed their paths during the day either. It was as if all life had completely abandoned the hopeless land.

That might have been the only way Natsu could describe the feeling this place had enveloped him in. It was a complete and utter lack of hope. The strength of light, happiness, life, they all drained away in the murky depths of the forest. It all caused an irritating itch crawling over his skin.

That was all without the unbelievable and unsettling feelings burning inside him and toward that ice-stripper. It was all too much to irritate him without those new and sparking feelings that left him more confused than anything before. Natsu had decided during the first day of their travels into this unnerving world that he would put all of that on the back-burner. It wouldn't help with their mission and if anything, would only bring another wedge between him and the friend he had just gotten back.

No, Gray had some man he loved back home. It was pointless to even think about those bizarre feelings now. Glancing back at the safely sleeping icemake wizard, his raven-hair fell over his calm face, Natsu smiled softly. It wasn't something that he could allow himself the time to think about. A single slip would mean both of their deaths on this century mission.

Letting a pearl of flame roll over the back of his fingers, Natsu watched the rolling balled flame pass from knuckle to knuckle. Settled.

The next morning brought much of the same. Together, they packed after a quick breakfast and set out into the murky dawn forest. As each day descended so did their moods. Every little thing started to spark small fights between the two guild mates.

The most recent of which left the two panting, sprawled out on the forest floor. Gray sat up jerkily, wincing as he grazed his fingertips over the raw bruise splotching his ribs in a fresh dark purple. "Freakin' squinty-eyed idiot! What the hell are we doing?"

"You started it, droopy-eyed bastard!"

"Hmph, go screw yourself." Gray knew the pain he felt inside was the seed of his anger. Every day, he was tortured by being within an arm's reach of the man he needed. He knew that. But even more, every day that ticked by, the squeezing dreads of the dying forest drew the pain he felt to the surface. The endless days spent on a knife's edge had left his mind raw.

"Oh, yeah!? You want to go another round?"

Ice snapped into a sharp blade in Gray's fist. He smirked, ready to relieve just a little bit of the irritation burning his body. "Any time you are, flame-brain!"

The dragon growled, snarling behind his shining white deadly teeth. Flames cracked along his fists. Dirt crunched under the sole of his sandal as he lunged forward, but just as suddenly, he jammed his other heel into the ground in front of him, sending a jarring shock up his ankle through his spine.

Gray's eyes sparked, focusing. He immediately drew his attention to the surrounding forest. "What is it?" Over three weeks of nothing. No enemies. Not even a single sign of life. Was there something out there?

Natsu's nose wriggled. Tilting his angled face toward the air, his eyes closed. He narrowed in on the channels of wafting scent carried like a subtle incense buried beneath the cloying earth. The dragon sniffed at the single gilding wave. It was new. Three weeks, everything smelled the same, everything except this. "I don't know, but it's something. This way."

Just like that, their brawl watershed.

The icemake wizard followed cautiously behind Natsu as he broke through the deathly forest. His hands at the ready, Gray had sunk into a battle crouch, prepared for what was coming. From any direction, he was ready.

With each step the earth seemed to decay further. The hollow shells of former life crumbled. It was in a smooth quick gradient of death that the forest fell away. The withered bark of trees had broken into dust. The grey grass bellow fell into ash.

Just as the last tree died away, the two friends stumbled, battle-wary, into an ash wasteland. In the clearing, the wizards froze, shoulder to shoulder. They trembled.

Coursing from the epicenter of the destruction was pure evil. Black tendrils writhed from an obsidian twisted spire. The dark ash blanketed the ground at its feet.

"N-Natsu? What the hell is that?"

The dragon slayer grabbed Gray's forearm, pouring the heat of his body into their small connection. He didn't think. Those past weeks he had been dwelling on that dream and those strange feelings they sparked. But that had all washed away. Right then, he needed a single connection, grounding him. The pure destructive power radiating out from the large crystal atop the shining black spire was overwhelming.

It beat like a heart, and with each pulse, wavefronts of pain, despair. Of anger. Crashed over them.

Gray winced, barely keeping one eye open. "Natsu!" But then he jumped, shaken free from the oppression.

A feral growl shook past the dragon's drawn lips. Letting go of Gray's arm, his entire body engulfed in an unbending flaming. "Get ready, Gray! It comes!"

"What?"

The beating ceased. In its sudden absence, the void pulled at them like a vacuum laid bare. A sharp keeling laugh quaked the ground, splitting the world. The few remaining withering trees crumbled to ash with the terrible shaking of earth.

Ice snapped into form, shining and brilliant as a steelplate over Gray. It mirrored the crimson armor the dragon prince of his dreams had worn, and that small comfort connecting his love to himself was enough. It hardened into the coldest shell, air coiling a hissing chilled breath across its surface. In his hand a tapering long sword appeared.

The writhing black tendrils of chaos coalesced, wrapping as one around the crystal's otherworldly shimmering surface. The blackness twisted until finally it vibrated, pulsing, and drew into form. A beast crashed down into the ash sending clouds into the air further blanketing the world. It laughed, the curves of its being solidifying.

Three strong arms grasped blades on each of its sides. Long snow-like hair trailed down its strikingly feminine beastly face. The cold steel of its swords danced, their bright flat metallic bodies reflecting the wavering darkness pouring out of the creature's scaly rotting skin. It grinned, revealing daggered teeth, its lips stretching far too wide. Tilting its head slowly to the side, its crimson eyes locked onto Gray.

He blinked, drawing in a breath as he froze in place.

But his terror-trance only lasted a second before the fire dragon slayer beside him lunged forward, wrapping the ash clearing in a brilliant flame. His fist crashed with the six blades brought together to shield against the fire dragon's wrath.

Gray's vision sparked.

 ** _The world shuttered. He watched helplessly as the blades drew apart only to swiftly thrust together again, piercing Natsu. His head threw back as he cried out. Blood streamed into the air. Gray's stomach churned. He screamed._**

 ** _The world froze, a still-frame in the night. It cracked along its boundaries. The cracks splintered, spidering across his entire vision. The pieces broke apart. They shattered, exploding out toward Gray. He threw his arms up._**

Natsu's wild dragon roar pounded with his fists against the steel of the beast's blades. Flames splashed across the burning metal.

Gray blinked. It wasn't real! Natsu was there. What the hell had he seen!? Setting his teeth in a snarl, he drew the ice-blade's edge to his face. Ash flew into the air behind him as he drove forward, plunging his sword into one of the unprotected arms of the beast at the elbow.

It shrieked. A blade fell, slamming Gray in the chest, sending him flying through the air. He crashed back down into the ash-strewn world producing a billowing cloud engulfing him.

Natsu's eyes caught the shine off of Gray's icy armor as he flew backwards. He yelled.

 ** _Gray's head fell limp to the side. Natsu could smell the blood just as he heard the crunch of bone as he crashed with the floor. Ice shattered in the air with the impact. "Gray!" Natsu bellowed, his eyes shooting wide as he saw the icemake sword spiraling through the air._**

 ** _He reached out his hand, but his body didn't move. Growling, Natsu's muscles strained, but he couldn't get his limbs to follow his heart. He watched helplessly as the sword righted, falling straight down and slid unhindered through Gray's chest. Tears poured from Natsu's fiery eyes. "GRAY!"_**

Snapping back to the real world, Natsu whipped his head. His long pink mane cracked along through the air. He glanced back to Gray, pushing to his feet, sword in his hand. What was that!?

Growling, Natsu felt himself become overwhelmed with the roiling rage burning up from his belly. The fire beat through him. The edges of the world burned away. His sharp eyes snapped back to the beast in front of him. Liquid fire coursed down his arm, igniting the air in his palms with a booming explosion.

The beast flew back into the crystal, twisting over the spire. It sprang back up, bringing its five arms up to fight. But flame crashed into its chest, wrapping its body in a burning fire that poured from Natsu as if emptying from his very soul. Through the scorching flames sharp iced-blades sliced through the beast's stomach in a flurry, tearing the creature apart with hundreds of flying daggers.

The crystal sparked. The many-armed creature writhed, its body flailing as darkness seeped from its very skin, pouring into the air, dissipating its ill-gotten existence. As the blackness left, the paler of its strong soul seeped away. It's jaw opened to the sky in a silent shriek. Gray and Natsu stood side-by-side as the beast disappeared into nothingness, its anti-pode shimmering brightly. The crystal's light wavered. A snapping explosion blew fire and ice helplessly through the air and onto their backs.

It was in a fantasy that light descended upon the world.

* * *

A/N: Here's to anyone who realized where the inspiration for the mission Natsu and Gray now face came from! It's back to the story after our quick dream-world break. Hopefully we can get back to reality . . . erm, yeah.

Don't worry, folks, the future is coming with every minute that ticks by.

Until that time comes, as always, be good

-Oblivion


	6. Courage

**Chapter 6: Courage**

Collapsing onto the grass, the boys laughed giddily, wave upon wave of pure light coursing out of the crystal atop its stained altar. Its heartbeat washed away all pain, sadness, all depression, and despair. The shining crystal glowed a warm earthly green at the epicenter of circle blown clean of the ash of desecration and destruction. As if the blood of its light, budding grass grew strongly out of the drained land. Life itself seemed to flood back into the ground with each beat of the crystal's soul.

Gray closed his eyes, a blissful smile on his face, letting the warmth wash over him. All of the anger that had shrouded his world over the past weeks seeped away like sand upon the crests of an ebbing tide. Breathing deeply, the icemake wizard savored the sweetness of the air which spread as a swift wind, pushing the weight of death away.

Natsu smacked the back of his hand onto Gray's shoulder, grinning toothily at his friend. He felt so much lighter. Truth be told, he couldn't really feel his body, but then again, it didn't matter much to the fire dragon slayer. All he felt was a gentle breeze over his burning skin. He gave the raven-haired man a wink before allowing his eyelids to drop. Surrendering completely to the weightlessness enveloping his body, it wasn't long before the calm land was filled with the soft rumble of a dragon's snores.

Smiling longingly at the beautiful sleeping face, Gray hooked his arms around his thighs. Overhead, the shroud of darkness had split, and through its holes shone the memory of the stars above. Running his tongue over his chapped lips, Gray reached his fingers out. They gently caressed the fire dragon's cheek, cupping his strong jaw in his palm. Brushing the stray strands of pink hair off of the sleeping face, the icemake wizard just smiled.

His heart hurt. What he had seen, he could never unsee. And he could never shake free of the pain that weighed down upon him from bearing witness to Natsu's death. Even with the pure light streaming from the deitific crystal, Gray couldn't ease the jagged blade in his beating heart. It split his chest. Even though it hadn't been real. Even though that façade had shattered after a few seconds, the scar it left lingered.

The dread of the mission fell upon him under the soft starlight that night. The century quest would most likely be the death of both of them. It didn't really matter to Gray, but to know deep inside the danger the love of his life faced, tore him apart quietly that night. There wasn't much future. Gently, his cold thumb traced over the burning skin of the sleeping wizard's face.

The end could come swifter than anything, Gray knew. It could all be over before they even knew it. But . . .

But . . . he was alive now. They both were. Damn the chains of the past. And damn the ramifications of the future. Today, Gray had to live. For the first time, in that clearing, surrounded by nothingness, Gray knew what it meant for him to be alive. There was only one thing, one person. He'd been running from it, from him, because he was scared of life in the future without him. But his present . . . leaning over the sleeping man, Gray softly met his burning lips with his. Sitting back, Gray just watched the dragon sleep.

"There is only the present."

Gray jumped back, biting a scream down. He sprang to his feet, ready to fight. Below him, Natsu continued to snore, detached from the world. A blinding light pulsed from the crystal, glowing brighter and brighter. Gray threw up his hand, trying in vain to shade his eyes from the intensity.

It coalesced.

Gray blinked, his jaw dropping. "Mavis?"

Standing in front of the crystal a small girl smiled at him, long swaying light trailing down her back, as white gold and pure as starlight. Her voice carried like a harp's string, plucked by divinity. "I am not Mavis."

The icemake wizard was rooted in place. He glanced back down to the fire dragon. He begged silently for Natsu to wake, but the sleeping wizard just mumbled in his slumber, twisting to his side before snoring filled the air again. Gray made to wake him, but found his body frozen. His blue eyes shot back to the glowing girl, fear quaking through his chained limbs.

She continued to smile, warm light gleaming from her pure white teeth. "There is nothing to fear, Gray Fullbuster." The gilded woman stepped forward, a silky white dress flowing around her like silver water. Holding her palm to her chest, she inclined her head. "My name is Sera Vermilion. I am Mavis' older sister."

"Sister?"

"You do not believe me?"

Gray tried to give voice to his apprehension but just as sure as the crystal's light had washed warmth over the land, so too did the light radiating from the stranger wash away his fear. "Wh-what is this? What are you?"

Clasping her small hands behind her back, she took another step toward him, separating further from the overwhelming light. "I am me," she smiled coyly.

With each second, Gray's resolve seemed to pour back into his cold body. "That's not an answer."

"No? But it is the truest answer I can give." Turning her small angled face to the sky, her mirror-like eyes shown with the stars in the heavens. Dropping her sight back to the frozen Fairy Tail wizard, her smile disappeared. "However, time is short and there is much you need to know. Can you tell me, Gray? What is it that my sister sought in Fairy Tail?"

"What Mavis sought?"

"What is Fairy Tail?"

Gray blinked several times, his gaze locked on the shining girl. Without hesitation, Gray responded, "Fairy Tail is family."

"Oh? Is that it? Family. But many things can make a family, what's so special about Fairy Tail?"

 _What's so special?_ The icemake wizard frowned. Suddenly, his arms fell to his side, his knees buckling as his weight returned. "Fairy Tail . . ." his guild, his family, what was it if it wasn't that? It was a place where he belonged. When the world had turned its shoulder, when everything was gone, it was where he found a reason to live. His eyes fell back to the slumbering dragon slayer in his bliss. Smiling softly, his fingers traced over his heart, pounding fiery energy through his body. "Love. Fairy Tail is love. It's love that will take you in when you need it most." His gaze still locked on Natsu, the image of swords impaling his body flashed across his mind again. "Even when you don't know it's what you need, it's there, to support you as nothing but yourself. In the darkest of shadows it is what gives you the strength to keep going, if only to be there for the ones . . . without whom life would be hollow."

Sera smirked. "Hmmm, maybe the betrayal was worth it."

"Betrayal?"

Shaking her head, the girl's shining eyes locked onto Gray, unwavering. Her voice cooled. "You have a long road ahead of yourself Gray Fullbuster. You must bring light back to this world."

"Wait, what betrayal?"

Sera's gold eyes just bore into him, the question not even registering. "The two other guardians of light are still imprisoned. It is up to-"

"Hold on!" Gray shook his head rapidly, completely unsure of the spirit's sudden rapid-fire speech. It was disconnected. Sera's gaze was resolute and yet behind them her face seemed as uncertain, "I don't get what's going on!"

"Balance is the one truth of this world. Every light that shines creates a shadow. The brighter the light, the deeper the darkness. Once, there were four, but now only three. The darkness overwhelmed us, and resides deep in this land, draining the light from the world. Soon it will all be gone. You are our only hope."

Gray shook his head, gritting his teeth. "I don't understand!" What the hell was she saying?

"You have returned light to the earth, now seek the sky. Upon the highest mountaintop, find my brother. Free him from his chains. I am afraid soon he will be lost to the madness. Gray," the spirit reached out her glowing palm, framing his stunned face, "I will give you the courage to follow your heart. I will give the rest of my power to you and trust in the light Mavis has fostered. Go now." The light immediately blinked into nothing. In the center of the clearing, the crystal's brilliance dulled to a low humming band of soft green warmth.

Gray let out the breath caught in his chest. His eyes fell to his right hand. Upon the back a solid gold triangle burned brightly against his cold pale skin. He clenched his fist underneath the strength emanating through his body. "What in heck?" Turning back to Natsu, he found him still sleeping, completely unaware of what had just transpired. Glancing back to his hand, he shook his head. He had absolutely no clue what that all had meant. But, he did know one thing.

It was time.

He had to live today, and that meant he had to tell Natsu. He'd admitted it to Sera. It was love. His love. Natsu. That gave his life purpose. And he didn't know if they had a tomorrow. Now was the only time that mattered. Gray teetered on his feet, unsteadily dizzy. The power surging through his body overwhelmed him, sending the world spinning. Reaching down, he grabbed Natsu's shoulder, jostling him from his sleep.

Groggily, the fire dragon slayer's eyelids parted. He balled his fists over his eyes, yawning wide. "What is it?"

Above him, Gray just smiled warmly. He was sitting in a crouch wavering back and forth, looking over him. Softly, his cold fingers ran back through Natsu's wild mane. The fire dragon, moaned lightly at the gentle caress. "Gray?"

"Natsu, I lo-" Gray's eyes closed abruptly as he crashed to the ground, limp. His breath pushed out of his lungs as he hit the ground.

Natsu shot up, shaking Gray vigorously. "Gray?" But he didn't respond. "GRAY!" Rolling the icemake wizard onto his back, Natsu pressed his ear against Gray's chest. He let out a tight breath when he heard the strong beat of Gray's heart beneath his skin. The ice wizard's breath tickled his nose with a gentle wintry scent.

Rocking back onto his heels, Natsu frowned, staring intensely at his unconscious friend. What the hell happened? The last thing he remembered was the light from the crystal blowing them on their asses, then he saw Gray's content smiling face. Then . . . did he fall asleep? He couldn't remember. It was immediate. He didn't even remember drifting off to sleep. Just one moment, then a snap and Gray was above him.

As far as he could tell Gray was sleeping now. His face was calm, his breathing slow. Natsu traced his fingers through his hair. What the hell was with this damn land? Nothing seemed right. His head hurt.

Sitting back on the cleared ground, Natsu stared intensely at Gray. He grimaced. In his mind, the image of a sword sticking out of Gray's chest burned sickeningly. That damn snake lady thing had messed with his head. That's what that was. But . . . Natsu tapped the ground absent-mindedly. This mission was dangerous. Gray could die. He shouldn't be here. Biting his lip between his sharp dragon's fangs, Natsu felt his chest constrict, wrapped by coiling iron bonds. This was his quest, it was his own doing that got him here.

As long as he remained by Gray's side, the icemake wizard would insist on going on with him. And he would die. Gray wasn't as strong as Natsu was. And yet he insisted on coming. Natsu sighed, standing and patting his pants free from some ash that still clung to the cloth.

Checking on Gray again, Natsu stood back content that he was fine. The icemake wizard was probably just exhausted. He had been overextending himself since they arrived on this tainted world. Gray didn't sleep much, Natsu knew. Every night Natsu could feel Gray watching him like a protectorate even when it was Natsu's turn to be the lookout.

There was a reason Gray had distanced himself from Natsu for so many years. The fire dragon slayer stared at the sleeping face solemnly. It wasn't what Gray had said. Natsu was dangerous. He seemed a magnet for the demons of the world. Or maybe it was that he always sought to vanquish the dark. But people he loved got dragged along when they shouldn't have.

It happened again. Natsu was so delighted to have his friend back in his life, he had stupidly let Gray follow him to this dangerous land on a quest that was almost a sure death sentence. It was Natsu's fault that Gray faced the danger of this land.

It would get worse, Natsu knew. That demon they fought was only the beginning. It would get worse, and quickly. Outside the light and warmth given off from the crystal, Natsu could feel the earth writhing. They had woken something. It was aware of them now.

Silently, Natsu walked to the edge of the clearing and picked up his pack from where he had dropped it when attacking that multi-armed monster. Shouldering it, Natsu glanced back at the sleeping Gray. This was the only way. He had to put some distance between them now or else he felt he would soon see that image of Gray's death play out in reality before his eyes. Being with his friend - Natsu grabbed at his chest as it twinged – was nice, but protecting him from danger was better. Stealing one more look back at the pale face, his dark-raven hair fallen over his calm face, Natsu nodded. There was more than friendship in his chest. He knew that now. And it was all the more reason to leave now. With a small smile, Natsu whispered, "have a safe trip home, Gray," before walking off into the dark night.

* * *

A/N: Yay, I finally finished my graduate school apps . . . well most of them anyway. So as a little reward to myself I penned this out before classes start again. I have quite a bit coming up, with it being my last semester of university, but it shouldn't be too long before the next chapter. It's mostly written – I had originally written it all as one chapter but decided it was better to split it. Hope you know the two places I gave shoutouts to in this mission J

-Oh, by the way, I tend to make up words if you haven't noticed already, deal with it, haha-

As a side note, I decided to keep on writing and ended up creating another story that's GrayxNatsu in a real-world setting. I'll post that first chapter in a bit, so be on the lookout for: Teach Me to Dance.

Lots of love,

Oblivion

Next chapter: **Sacrifice**


	7. Sacrifice

**Chapter 7: Sacrifice**

When the sun's first morning breath skimmed across the desolated land, it bathed the sleeping Gray in subtle warmth. He smiled, his eyelids parting over his sharp icy blue eyes. Something within him had changed in the last several weeks. His body now yearned for that warmth, every day shedding just a piece more of his icy shell. He brought his hand up over him, staring at the burning gold triangle of light. He clenched it in the air. His mind still spun with all that Sera had said to him, and he had suddenly felt it all blink off. But, maybe he just needed the rest for his body to overcome the shock. Now, he felt like, whatever it all meant, he was prepared. He and Natsu would see it through. There weren't words that could describe how Gray felt – he just felt better, ready for the road ahead.

Gray rocked up, sitting in the clearing. He looked around for the dragon slayer. A hard frown quickly dropped his brow. Gray jumped to his feet, that momentary peace washing away in an instant. Back and forth, he swung his head. No Natsu. "Natsu?" Dread clutched his heart when no reply came. What the hell? "NATSU!" Pacing the clearing, the Gray found no trace of the flame-brain. He was sleeping right there. Gray had woken him, then . . . he blinked. What happened? Where the hell did Natsu go?

It was then that Gray found small jagged black letters burned into the soft loamy dirt of the clearing. _Go home, Gray._ Dropping to his knees, he traced the etched words. They were definitely made by a fire, carefully etching and marring the ground. Natsu? Clenching his teeth, his eyes set hard. Punching the ground, Gray stood, anger filling every inch of his body. "Damn flame-brain, fucking idiot! Snatching his pack, he swung it onto his back. It didn't take him long to find a pair of footprints trailing off through the dark ash world. At least Natsu was an idiot and didn't think to cover his tracks.

Why the hell had he left? Why the hell had Natsu abandoned him? Those two thoughts consumed Gray as he followed the tracks alone into the darkness.

Gray practically flew through the dreary forest, his gait like a leaping deer. Darkness still clung to the air around him, though subtle lines of light shown in utter contrast, splitting the dark clouds above. After hours, Gray looked up at the sky with irritation. He was sure the sun was at its zenith and yet with every step he took away from the green crystal the sky grew darker, the ground underneath coiling. Icy fingers clawed at him as his breath fogged. Even Gray found it unbearably cold. It wasn't temperature, the icemake wizard realized as he dashed through the destroyed undergrowth, it was a complete lack of happiness.

And Gray's mood deteriorated with his surroundings. All day he kept up his sprinting pace, leaving his chest stampeding, his lungs burning, deprived of air, and his legs numb beneath him. Yet, no matter how far he traveled and how fast he ran, there was no sign of the pink-haired idiot. Finally, well into the evening, Gray stopped abruptly at the forest's thinned edge, staring with dread upon the ground as his hand clutched onto the drained husk of a tree next to him. His breaths were ragged, filling the air with hot steam as he panted.

Natsu's footsteps vanished. There, at the edge of the dead forest world, the ash layer had fallen away, replaced by hard shining black slate. Gray crashed to his knees, warm tears welling in empty onyx eyes, falling down his cold face. Tracing the last visible footprint in the ash with a shaking finger, the icemake wizard fell back onto his butt, staring lost up to the uniformly oppressive black sky.

Throughout the entire day, Gray tried desperately to recall anything that happened before he had passed out. As he ran, his mind spun futilely, not able to recall the smallest detail in a dark, cloudy haze. As he stared at the sky, Gray finally managed to remember waking the fire dragon slayer. He stared down at his palm as if it was completely foreign to him now. He had shaken Natsu's shoulder.

Gray blinked. Why had he done that? It was after Mavis' sister. He now managed to recall stumbling directly to Natsu. Frowning, Gray turned over his hand and gazed at the burning gold triangle. For the first time, he saw a dim outline on his hand. Two other gold triangles sat dim against his pale skin, completely overwhelmed by the brilliance of the shining one to the bottom right of the others. What had Sera said? Courage?

His jaw dropped, cold eyes growing wide. Had he told Natsu? Bolting upright, Gray stared in disbelief at the ashen ground. Did he finally do it? He remembered. He'd said those words. "I love you," the icemake wizard whispered again to mirror his memory. But then fresh tears poured down his cheeks. His palm covered his mouth as his body shook.

That meant Natsu, he'd rejected him. Finally it all clicked. That was why the dragon slayer had left in the morning. That was why he had told Gray to go home. He didn't want to be around Gray any longer. Curling on his side, Gray couldn't stop the tears streaming from his shattered heart. His sobbing filled the empty night, with nothing but ash and desecrated trees to lend a hollow support.

Alone.

Gray had finally done it. The future he dreaded. The future where Natsu rejected his love and wanted nothing to do with him. The entire reason he had ran, and now it was all over. All the running, all the excuses and mistakes, they all meant nothing. Gray had ended up right where he never wanted to be. He was alone. Exhaustion finally got the better of him in the night as his sobs stripped away all the energy left within his frame. Fitfully, he succumbed to sleep.

* * *

Natsu growled as he hauled himself over a large jagged boulder. He sat at its peak, staring down at the valley spanning a chasm at the mountain's foot. His chest burned an inferno, his throat raw and hoarse. A constant ashfall from the mountaintop blanketed him, making every breath a burden. But more than that, was his heart. It felt cold. Everything did.

The fire dragon slayer couldn't deny it to himself now. Sitting halfway up an active volcano, fire, and heat swirling around him, he had never felt more cold. Scoffing, he hooked his arms around his knees and stared out longingly over the dead forest below. Go figure that without that icy bastard by his side that he would feel cold. More than that, he felt a terrible dread.

Since he had left Gray, he had been attacked endlessly. The demons were weak and easily vanquished, but the fear they blossomed was devastating. If Gray was still wounded, or unable to fight back . . . Natsu growled again, puffing out a small jet of flame between his fangs as he tucked his chin under his arm. The fire dragon slayer could feel the evil in the air. It surrounded him.

His only thought the entire day had been in putting as much distance between him and that droopy-eyed stripper as he could. The demons – he could smell – were intent on him. There was something that drew them to him. Maybe their master was afraid, or maybe it was the fact that he was a fire user, but every demon birthed of pure flame from the mountain sought his death.

Leaving Gray was the right decision, Natsu assured himself for the umpteenth time that day. He was dangerous, and the day had just proved that without any holds barred. He was the magnet for the demons. If he could just keep away from Gray, he would be safe.

But, the distance stabbed at his heart. Natsu had just gotten his friend back, and he threw him away. The love that was growing inside him was becoming unbearable.

Rocks fell beside him, rolling and bouncing down the worn and rough barren mountainside. With a high screech a small black creature, its white teeth and fangs shining with the light given off by its lion's mane of fire, lunged at the statuesque Fairy Tail wizard. Snarling, Natsu's fist ignited in popping flames as he slammed it down, smashing the small akuma into the rock face. Its life extinguished with a poof, dark sickly smoke rising from the ground.

Natsu glanced dispassionately at the smoke wrapping past his closed fist. These minor annoyances weren't helping his foul mood. Though, they at least gave him a small release valve for which to shed a miniscule amount of his frustration. Without their insistent irritation, Natsu felt he would have succumbed to the twisting in his chest. He would have turned completely around – he knew – and marched straight back to Gray.

Sighing, the dragon slayer pulled his knees closer to his chest. He would have wrapped his arms around the popsicle and held on to him forever. Never would he let go again. His eyes began to water before he could blink the tears away. That life was something so far away now. Why had he only seen it after he had left? Why was he on this century quest?

By the time he was done with this mission – if he made it out at all – Gray would have found someone, heck, he had that guy back in Fairy Tail whom he loved. It wasn't even fair of Natsu to try and place that burden on the friend who had sacrificed all of that just to protect him on this quest. Leaving him was the only right thing to do. This way, Gray would be out of danger, he wouldn't have to risk himself, overextending and exhausting himself until he collapsed. This way, Gray could return to Fairy Tail and live the life he should be living.

Standing, balancing on the tip of the volcanic boulder, Natsu turned his back to the forest below. He stared up at the mountaintop, a dark ring of evil circling its jagged bowed peak, a hallowed halo. There was a demon there, Natsu could smell, a demon that burned of flame. The demon, he was sure, controlled all these minor annoyances. If he could destroy him, at least Natsu could rest assured that Gray could make it back to the shore and then to Magnolia safely.

Jumping down from the boulder, the dragon slayer fell into a crouch, placing his hand over his pained heart, before gritting his teeth and starting up the mountain anew.

* * *

When Gray woke, his eyes burned. His body ached. Pushing himself off the ashen ground, he gingerly stood. He didn't feel like he'd slept at all. Still drained, he pushed himself to the edge of the ash world and stared disheartedly at the hard slate line marking the end of traceable footsteps.

"Where have you gone, flame-brain?" A tight breath escaped past the ice mage's chapped lips. Even if Natsu had rejected him, even if he wanted nothing to do with Gray anymore knowing the feelings he harbored, there was no way in hell Gray was going to leave the love of his life to face the darkness of this land alone. Even if it was just as a guild mate, just like their old team, Gray would stick by Natsu's side like he had done during their childhood.

"What's that idiot thinking?" He should have known by now that Fairy Tail wizards never give up. Natsu himself was the one who had taught Gray that lesson on Galuna Island. Did he really think that Gray would just turn around? Pick up and forget about him? "Gods, he's such a fire-for-brains, dumb, idiot." And he was exactly the man Gray loved.

Drawing in a deep breath, Gray tried to cool his mind, if only just a little. Now, where had that idiot love gone? Closing his eyes, the icemake wizard ran back through the film of his memories. They had just randomly stumbled through the dark forest for days on end. It wasn't like they had any clue where to go, nor any idea even of what direction they were going under the uniform black sky. It had just been by chance they happened upon that crystal.

Sera.

Frowning, Gray tried to recall everything she had said in her ethereal tongue. All of it was jumbled, it didn't really make sense. But. The icemake mage's blue eyes opened and locked onto the golden light upon his hand, there was something lucid she had said within it all. Her brother. The mountain. Gray blinked, scanning the horizon. A small smile arched his lips when he saw a slight bump along the barren expanse of nothing but dark rock. Hell, Gray shook his head, "damn, you are an idiot too, Gray." Slate rock. It was volcanic. And the growing evil he felt in the air as he followed the footsteps. Rolling his eyes at his own stupidity, he stepped onto the hard smooth rock which crumbled underfoot.

Natsu had made a beeline to that mountain. Through the entire forest, he never once deviated, never unsure of his path. That bloodhound had a scent, Gray knew. And he was sure it led him to whoever . . . or whatever the brother Sera spoke of was. The dread with that realization set in quick and hard. Natsu was immediately throwing himself into a wolf pit. The danger the fire dragon slayer would soon face – or was already facing, a thought that made Gray redouble his already brisk morning pace – scared Gray down to his bones.

That first crystal, that first demon, was strong, but nothing that they couldn't handle together. Now not only was Natsu possibly facing the next one alone, but Gray feared, it would be a much more terrifying demon. Things rarely went so well for them as to get easier along the way. Every new fight always seemed harder than the last. And Natsu was going to go head-to-head with that next hurdle, alone.

"Damn, stubborn idiot," the icemake mage growled as he plowed across the desolated rocky plains toward the lumbering mountain growing with each step on the horizon. The very sight of that volcano sent chills wracking through his frame. It towered higher and higher as he approached it. Its tip pierced the sky, a dark ring of ominous chaos wavering around it. And to Gray's added frustration, each step brought him closer and closer to a furnace. The air grew heavy around him.

His clothes stuck to his skin from his exertions climbing over the rough terrain as the temperature just continued to climb. By the time Gray had reached the root of the mountain, his bare glistening chest huffed. The silver sword around his neck glinted against the dark ink of his Fairy Tail brand. Around him, small spot fires ignited spontaneously, the earth ripping and cracking as it tore apart under its own stresses. The top was where Gray would find the flame-brain. He found no sign of him along the way, but his heart never allowed his mind to question itself. That was it. And that was where he was headed.

The icemake wizard never allowed himself a single breather as he started his climb, keeping to his reckless pace. When traversable ground fell away beneath, he leaped as sure-footed and agile as a mountain goat from rock to rock. As soon as he landed on sure footing, he would be leaping again, his stride unbroken by the boulders.

Natsu was in danger. Of that he had no doubt now. The mountain itself seemed a monument to death and destruction, ready upon a moment's signal to bring desolation to the entire world.

"Damn it!" Crashing down onto the rocks in front of him, the Fairy Tail wizard barely caught himself, sharp jagged stones digging into his palms. Absently, he wiped off the blood trickling down his hands, flowing warm over his wrists, onto his jeans as he threw himself up again and immediately jumped to the next footing. Looking up desperately, Gray hardened his eyes to the ascent still looming above. Shaking his head, his arms swung as he leaped forward.

At the very least, Gray figured as he felt like he was melting into a puddle, Natsu was among his element now.

That same thought had gotten Natsu into his current situation. He sat, smashed inside a crater of a rock which had exploded when he collided with it. Retching, he clutched at his stomach, his throat burning. Above him, flame incarnate chuckled. It was low, deep, and menacing like grinding granite, enjoying the torture the pink-haired man was now enduring. "I did warn you Fairy light brat."

* * *

Natsu continued to retch. Gods, it was worse than that time he had eaten the ethernano. Squeezing his eyes shut, he just begged it all to go away. He didn't care. Anything to make the horrible burning ripping his inside apart go away. Sneering, the fire demon descended upon the crippled fire dragon slayer, bringing up a fist writhing in white flames, the fringes of the fire disappearing into clear wavering air. Smashing the fist down, it reveled in the crunch it made with the wizard's body.

Natsu let out a curdling screamed.

* * *

What the hell was that? Gray froze, balancing on a particularly jagged outcrop of rock. His breath caught as his heart sank. "Natsu." Misty frost snapped around Gray's palms, fighting bitterly against the oppressive heat encasing him like a tomb. That wasn't far away. Gray's soul erupted as his palms met together, ice shining brilliantly, flashing out around him. And for the first time, Gray called upon living icemake magic. Below him, a mighty charger, shining of pure blue ice, stamped its giant hooves. Its white mane snapped as it reared upon its back legs, strong corded muscle rippling in the ice. The massive horse's front hooves slashed through the air as it let out a throaty _neigh_ , snorting loudly as it whipped its head impatiently. Gray clutched onto the icy white reins in his left hand as a long gleaming sword appeared in his right. Golden light shone from his hand as the horse charged forward, galloping on level icy mist.

* * *

The fire dragon slayer cringed, clutching at his stomach as he shakily rose to his feet. That damn monster's fire was the worst thing he had ever eaten. He shook his head, clenching his shining white dragon fangs together. It wasn't fire, Natsu tasted that much. Despite its burning white appearance, it tasted foul. Its magic was dark, an embodiment of evil itself.

His throat was raw from his coughing, and his head pounded a cacophony between his temples. Yet, he set his burning eyes on the floating demon who was laughing uncontrollably at Natsu's misery. Clenching his fists at his sides, fire snapped around his rough knuckles. His wild pink mane of hair whipped back along with his scarf as the wind shifted torn asunder by the power emanating from the two creatures of flame. Bending his knees, Natsu snarled as he set to lunge into the demon.

But, he faltered.

A wintry scent of crisp icy snow drifted along the changing air currents. Growling, the fire dragon's eyes snapped to a rocky ridge just as a brilliant horse, its body pure ice, leaped into the sky. Upon its back, Gray brandished a gleaming blade overhead. They charged straight ahead, colliding with the demon's back, slashing at the body of flame. The dragon snarled again, ready to lunge, but changed his path as ice exploded in the air.

The charger died with a nova, ice radiating out from its body, frigidly blasting everything in its path. Through the air, the icemake wizard flew back helplessly, stricken by the demon's massive coiling arm of fire. Cursing, Natsu slid across the ground, shattered rocks spewing into the air. Just barely making it time, he crashed back into the ground, sheltering his friend tight in his corded arms.

Gray chuckled as he shakily stood up, running his fingers through his black shining hair. "Thanks for the landing."

"Gray, what the hell are you doing here!?"

"What did you think – Icemake wall!" Holding up his palms, he gritted his teeth against the onslaught of fire splashing against the other side of his ice. Gray glared back at Natsu, letting all of his anger spill out. "Did you think I would just abandon you in this fucking place!? Did you for once think that I would really just up and leave!? I don't fucking care if you want nothing to do with me! I don't care if you don't love me back! Ugh!" Crashing to a knee, Gray winced as the wall shattered, overwhelmed by the demon's wrath. Tears streamed down from his dark crystal blue eyes, dropping into the hot earth. They disappeared immediately into the parched ground beside his fist which clawed into the dirt. "I'm your friend, Natsu! Even if you hate me for my feelings, why would you leave me without saying anything!? Don't I deserve that much?"

The fire dragon slayer just blinked a couple of times, completely blown back by the force of Gray's emotions. His chest ignited with a flame it had never known and it coursed through his body. Swallowing hard, he placed a burning hand on Gray's shoulder. Stepping forward, Natsu made to stand between the demon and his best friend. His head hung down, "stay here, you're in no condition to fight. You idiot!" Natsu bellowed when Gray made to stand. "You've been pushing yourself too freaking hard! I can't lose you, don't you get that?" Advancing another step, Natsu's flames wrapped around his entire body.

Gray felt helpless as he watched his love dive forward, clashing with the demon of destruction, their fires wrapping around each other trying desperately to extinguish the other's light. Clutching his shaking knees, the icemake wizard managed to haul himself onto his feet. Natsu was right. He really was overdoing it. He could barely move. All of his magic, all of his energy was zapped. Truth be told he had hit empty several days ago. The world flashed around him as his vision sparked. The only thing that had kept him going on fumes was Natsu.

Taking in a shaky breath, Gray watched the maelstrom of writhing fire clash. It was so intense that fire whipped off around the two, lashing out like barbs, slicing rock. The fury caused storms of fire to erupt in the air. Dark smoke soon blurred out the world. Gray squinted, barely able to see through the haze. Brimstone ignited, filling the smokey air with an acrid bite.

Worse, Gray silently watched dark pyroclastic clouds form at eye level, lightning jumping through the blackness with sudden overwhelmingly bright sparks. The air grew heavier still, and Gray clutched at his reddened throat, barely able to breath. Worry gnawed at his belly – he couldn't even see Natsu, let alone help him. Utterly useless. He ran all this way and he couldn't even be there to protect the one he loved.

Suddenly, a whirlwind of whiplashing flames twisted around the two, the sheer velocity tearing the air around them in their locked battle. The dark clouds split, ripped away by the ferocious duel. Gray stared, not knowing what he could do in that moment. He just watched Natsu and that writhing demon trade blow after blow. Their fists would meet and a sonic boom of fire slashed out from them in great arcs.

Gray was so locked on the two that it took him several seconds – and in a fight that might as well have been an eternity – to realize that one of the dark chaotic clouds just behind Natsu had not dissipated. Once he finally saw it, a heavy frown fell over his face. There was no natural cloud that could withstand such force. Gray could barely even keep standing, fighting with all he had left just to stay upright against the backwash riptides of their clash. Not right. That's all Gray could think while looking at the cloud.

It definitely wasn't natural. It didn't move, only hovered just behind Natsu, just so he couldn't see. The dread palpable in his veins, Gray clenched his teeth, begging his body to just give him the strength to move. "NATSU!" Gods, Natsu couldn't even hear him within the struggle. It was then that the demon's hollow black beady eyes darted to Gray. It was only for a split second, but it was all it took for freezing chills to wrack the icemake wizard's body. The demon smiled sadistically, its eyes darting to the cloud only for another tick of time.

Gray's hands clenched to his sides. Gold light pulsed from his hand, shining like a beacon through the evil. He took a shaky step forward, barely able to keep his balance, but he kept his eyes trained on Natsu. The cloud wriggled, a dark molten red forming in its core and eating through the blackness. Around Gray, the world calmed, slowing. All sound disappeared, all thoughts vanished. Digging into the ground, he threw himself through the burning vortex and collided with Natsu.

Searing pain lanced through his body. All went black.

Natsu shouted wordlessly, the scream scratching his raw throat unable to make it past his lips. Thrown to the ground, the fire dragon slayer twisted just to see Gray. His back lit, a deathly fire pounding into the broken man. Natsu continued to scream. In slow motion the destructive fire moved through the ice wizard, his body dissolving as it passed. His left side tore, the fire burning away his arm and ripping away his bare skin.

Blood splashed onto the ground as Gray lifelessly fell. The shine in his eyes dulled. Natsu caught him before his body could reach the ground. "GRAAAAAY!"

The world exploded with the dragon's rage.


	8. Alone in the Dark

**Chapter 8: Alone in the Dark**

Slashing his arm through the air, flames crashed against the inside of the cave, splitting under Natsu's rage. Huge boulders fell from the ceiling, piling a wall at the cave's mouth. Glancing back at it with roiling anger, his palm ignited, and searing fire lanced through the air. It splashed against the rock, which rippled against its power, losing all pretense of strength as it flowed together. The wall completely sealed, separating their tiny bubble from the entire world outside.

Dropping to his knees, he gingerly laid Gray down, tears flowing from an unstoppered dam, dripping down Gray's bare chest. Igniting his hand, he bathed the small cave with a warm radiant light. Clenching his teeth, Natsu's eyes screwed shut as his other fist slammed helplessly into the dirt. But, he whipped his head rapidly. There was still a chance, still a hope, he couldn't – wouldn't – give up.

Tracing the large splotchy dark scab marring Gray's entire left side, Natsu begged for all the gods' slightest pity. He prayed that he had stopped the bleeding in time, pressing his burning hand to the limp icemake wizard's side as he ran, desperately crashing down the mountainside trying to find a shelter.

Cursing, Natsu dragged over his broken pack, its frame splintered from when he was thrown backwards into rock leaving it lying in a jumble. There had to be something, some sort of medicine, anything, that could bring Gray back. The ice mage's chest still moved, though very lightly, with soft breaths. And his heart still beat, even if it was of a mouse's footsteps upon a drumhead. Throwing the innards of his pack through the air, the fire dragon slayer tore through it with bitter hope.

It was then that he pulled out a small hard red enamored case from the bottom of the scattered pile. Immediately, Wendy's face flashed across his mind. She had forced this box into his hands the day he had left on the century quest. Tears still streaming down his face, his chin quivered, as his shaking hands fumbled at the metal clasp against the cool red box. Its top flipped back, hinges breaking as it slammed with destructive force into the ground.

Pulling out several crystals, Natsu closed his eyes, pressing them to his chest. "Thank you, Wendy. Thank you, Wendy!" Healing lacrima made by the sky dragon. Natsu hovered over the broken man, his gaze intensely focused on the dark mottled black against the way too pale skin. Shakily, he held one of the lacrima over the charred layer, starting at the rift just above Gray's left pectoral. The lacrima glowed pure white, bathing Gray's chest and his midnight blue Fairy Tail brand in a heavenly light.

Underneath its white bath, Gray's pale skin crawled. Ever so slowly, it advanced as if it was a heavenly battle, the army slowly overcoming the black mar. Natsu bit his lip, not even registering the blood trickling between his fangs in his concentration. Advancing the lacrima with the fresh skin, Natsu channeled the magical energy with his burning soul. The fire of his heart was as a guiding beacon, willing the magic to heal. Muscle advanced like intoxicated crawling ants under the forming pale skin, wriggling and knotting.

Hours crawled by as Natsu very carefully, and very slowly, administered one lacrima after another, proceeding with terrible desperation down Gray's left side. The entire time, the icemake wizard didn't stir. Though the healing progressed, the oppressive stain of burned flesh and blood blanketed the fire dragon slayer. All he could smell was Gray's blood, his own hands bathed a deathly shining red down to the wrists. When the light underneath the dragon's palm faded, Natsu cursed, dropping the depleted crystal to the ground. Picking up another, he worriedly glanced at the stock remaining. Of the ten he had, only two remained. But the ninth still glowed in his hand as the last edge of the damage down Gray left thigh vanished. The muscle and bone underneath seamlessly reknit as if never destroyed.

Quaking, he then brought the crystal back up to Gray's shoulder. Immediately the crystal's light blinked away. "No!" Picking up the last lacrima from the dirt, Natsu squeezed its cold smoothness with all his strength. Gently, he placed the lacrima again at Gray's shoulder. It blinked away. The empty crystal shattered against the cave wall, as Natsu wailed, throwing himself over Gray's motionless frame. His arm. Tears returned anew, washing past his already salt-crusted face. Hopelessly, He picked up every lacrima he had discarded, his hand shaking terribly as he tried in vain to will the magic to reform Gray's lost arm.

After the last empty lacrima shattered against the wall, Natsu buried his face against Gray's chest, feeling the slight heartbeat against his cold skin. "Come on, Gray." His curled fist lightly pounded against Gray's hard chest. Natsu cried, beyond despair. It had to have been hours now. And Gray gave no sign of life.

"Come on, you droopy-eyed, stripping, bastard!" Clutching onto the icemake wizard's good shoulder, Natsu shook him, as his lip quivered below his squeezing fangs. "Don't do this!" Dropping his forehead back down to Gray's chest, the fire dragon hiccupped and coughed uncontrollably. "Don't go. I'm never going to leave you again. So, just don't go where I can't follow!" Wrapping his arms around the cold hollow frame, Natsu pressed himself into the hard body, hoping that he could squeeze his life into Gray. He would gladly give all he was to bring Gray back. Endless hours washed by as he held on. Despair, and with the toll the last day had taken from him, Natsu succumbed to oblivion, his fingers locked together, his arms wrapped Gray's cold torso.

When Natsu woke, for a couple fleeting seconds, he smiled idiotically to himself. It was just a dream. The worst nightmare he had ever had to be sure, but it wasn't real. But then his eyes adjusted to the dim glowing light within the cave and locked onto Gray's lifeless face inches from his nose. And then the wall of scent hit him again. Blood. Gray's blood. Trembling, Natsu buried himself into the ice mage's neck, squeezing his locked arms tighter.

His cold nakama didn't respond. Sitting back, Natsu traced his fingers lightly over the new skin across Gray's side. His burning eyes glanced up to Gray's shoulder, or where it used to be. Bile rose in his throat. A ragged scar outlined the edge of his chest, breaking and falling away where his shoulder should have met his collarbone. Falling backwards, Natsu squeezed his knees into his chest.

The firelight in the cave winked off. Whether it was Natsu's panicked emotional state that led him to be unable to control his magic or just the subconscious need not to see Gray in this shape, the flame responded and died away. Rocking slowly, Natsu buried his chin into his legs, begging it all just to be a nightmare.

"Please," the dragon slayer quivered. His body racked as if tears poured from his eyes, yet nothing came. He couldn't even cry anymore.

In the darkness, Natsu was only aware of the cold creeping over him with the sting of coppery blood squeezing mercilessly. It felt like bits of himself were being torn away by foreign frost. It didn't matter. He just sat there, staring out at oblivion, his eyes unfocused, his mind wandering over an empty tundra.

The fire dragon slayer knew this feeling. It was the same back then, back when he had woken as a small child all alone in the countryside. His dragon foster-father was nowhere to be found. Without his overwhelming warmth, the world had taken on a cold tint ever since that day.

Sighing shakily, Natsu squeezed his legs tighter. Gray's fierce blue crystal eyes sparked in his mind. And he saw him, his back to the terrifying fire demon, a glistening ice wall formed from his palms.

 ** _"Did you think I would just abandon you in this fucking place!? Did you for once think that I would really just up and leave!? I don't fucking care if you want nothing to do with me! I don't care if you don't love me back!"_**

The dragon slayer stared at the ethereal image emblazoned in his memory. His heart felt like it was about to give way. No person could survive this level of heartbreak. Maybe this was the end, Natsu realized, maybe the image he saw now of Gray, his blue eyes set as a determined wolf's, was Natsu's first step into the afterlife. The one person who mattered. The one person he'd wronged. He felt like it was a ghost, slowly sliding a keen dagger between his ribs.

But, he forced himself to meet the ghostly Gray's eyes. It was Natsu's fault. Blinking, Natsu frowned deeper, pressing his chin hard against his knee. "Don't love you back?"

 ** _"I'm your friend, Natsu! Even if you hate me for my feelings, why would you leave me without saying anything!? Don't I deserve that much?"_**

Absently scratching at his leg through his ripped pants, Natsu felt himself choking. "Your feelings? Gray?" The dragon slayer blinked several times in the dark. His clenched fist slammed into the ground, exploding underneath his angst as sure as Gildart's crash magic. "Damn it! Gray, what the hell did you mean!?" Fire licked over his hand and light once again pulsed through the small cave inlet.

"Don't love you back, that sounds like you love me!" Wavering, Natsu teetered to his feet, an uncertain haze surrounding his entire being. "Damn it!" Natsu choked out, fresh tears managing to spill from his burning green eyes again as his arms shook at his sides. His fists clenched. He paced the small cave, a squeezing claw merciless upon his heart. He dared not look back at the lifeless man supine on the cold cave floor. The man who had sacrificed himself for Natsu. A man he didn't deserve. But a man he needed.

Crawling back to the ice wizard's side, Natsu snaked his arms around the cold body again. "Don't ever say I don't love you back, you damn ice-for-brains idiot." And Natsu pressed himself against Gray's side, the fire from his heart washing over the unconscious man.

"I'm never going to let you go. So . . . so just don't leave me alone."

When Natsu woke again from his fitful sleep, he just squeezed his arms tighter. Dimly his mind ticked to register that the worst image he had ever seen was a couple days old now. He wasn't sure exactly; he was completely focused on Gray. He felt consumed now. What he felt - if Gray didn't wake up - Natsu didn't know if he could find any strength to leave this cave. Not another cave. And not another man he loved. The first a behemoth, dangerous, king of fire dragons, and the gentlest, kindest father Natsu had known. The second, a frigid, icy, stripping, droopy-eyed bastard, and the man he now knew he couldn't imagine life without. Dryly swallowing down his cracked throat, Natsu cast off all illusions he had. This man was everything. The dragon slayer squeezed his cheek against Gray's smooth hard chest.

He smiled warmly as he felt the thrum of Gray's heart against his cheek. "A little stronger." Natsu pushed himself up off the dirt and set about gathering small stones scattered around the cave. He wasn't going to give up. Damn it, there was no way in hell's hottest fires, that the fire dragon slayer could just let Gray get away with saying those things and then leaving. A hope was sparked in his heart, rolling like a small pilot fire. He needed to hear Gray say those words directly.

With a pile of stones cradled in his arms, he sat back down with a huff and picked one smooth stone up between his palms. Blowing a soft stream of coursing fire over its surface, Natsu watched it turn from a dull brown to a glowing vibrant red. Setting it down in the dirt, he repeated the process with the other stones he had gathered.

Once they all burned like bright marbles against the cold ground, Natsu set about shoveling, scraping away at the earth. Once deep enough he arranged the stones and recovered them with a healthy blanket of dirt.

Pressing his palm to the floor, he nodded his head. Shifting to his side, he snaked his arms underneath Gray. "Upsy-daisy," Natsu grunted, carrying the lump of deadweight over and laid him down on the hot stone bed. The damn icy bastard was way too cold, even for him.

Cupping Gray's cheek with his calloused palm, Natsu smiled warmly at the icemake wizard's peaceful sleeping face. There was a little more color there. Even if it was the smallest tint, Natsu would take it gratefully. "I love you too, you get that? So you can't go and die on me. You just can't." Still with a gentle smile cresting his reddened lips, Natsu unwrapped Igneel's scarf from around his neck. It immediately put him in an even greater state of unease, unbearably aware of the cool air brushing his exposed skin. But, he leaned over Gray and his smile didn't falter. Wrapping the muffler around Gray's neck, Natsu patted Gray's right shoulder, his thumb tracing small circles over the hard muscle.

Natsu blinked, his breath heavy. In his chest, the love he felt for Gray burned hotter than any fire he could give shape to. If only he could give that warmth to Gray. Natsu shifted his weight forward, leaning on his palms on either side of Gray's face. As he leaned in, his eyelids slowly closed over burning green emerald eyes. Pressing his lips against Gray's, Natsu opened up his heart, letting all that he was spill out. In that moment, alone in the dark, Natsu gave everything to the man he needed more than anything. He laid his lot with the ice wizard's. From then on, Natsu's heart would rest in Gray's hand.

Breaking their bond, Natsu sighed as he opened his eyes to find Gray still unresponsive. Rocking back onto his heels, his fingers trailed back through Gray's silken raven hair, combing it back off his face. Leaning in again, Natsu kissed him on the forehead before standing.

Walking back to his pack – or really the pile of his stuff strewn through the cave in his panic – Natsu fished out his metal canteen. Licking his chapped lips, Natsu for once felt the drain on his own body. He was parched, his skin like paper, ready to crumble at the slightest touch. His throat was raw.

Unscrewing the cap, Natsu tilted back his head desperately needing the coolness of the water within its metal belly. But the fire dragon slayer froze before even a drop escaped over the lip. Glancing back at the unconscious Gray, Natsu sighed, recapping the canteen. What the hell was he doing?

Back at Gray's side, Natsu fished his arm underneath Gray's back, lifting him and nestling the ice wizard's head in the nook of his shoulder. Smiling lovingly down at the boy in his arms, he brought the metal canteen up to Gray's unresponsive lips. Slowly, he tilted the end up, listening to the miniscule remains of water leave the metal. Gray swallowed, a line of water escaping out of the corner of his lifeless mouth, trailing down his neck.

Chuckling, Natsu ran a gentle thumb over the line, bringing the last bit of moisture back up to Gray's lips. As his thumb left, it was replaced instantly by his lips. Natsu just stared at the unconscious face, the closed eyelids, the pale skin, as he connected them. Sidling down next to him, he wrapped his arms around Gray again, pulling him tightly into his chest.

* * *

 **Next chapter: Melting Ice**

A/N: Just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone who has become involved in this story. It makes the world of difference to know how you respond. See ya soon.


	9. Melting Ice

**Chapter 9: Melting Ice**

"N-Natsu?"

The fire dragon slayer bolted out of his sleepy haze, his eyes shooting wide with a burning hope just as his chin quivered. His breath caught in his chest, but when those pale eyelids parted, below, two beautiful icy crystals swiveling to lock onto him, Natsu threw himself back into the body he held, burying his face in the cold skin.

"Natsu?" Gray managed again, his voice hoarse, his head pounding with dull clamping spikes. Gods, it felt like he'd been thrown down a mountain, landing at its foot only to be crushed by its shifting weight. Frowning, he focused hard, reeling his spinning foggy head to form a thought. Nothing came. The only thing he was able to register was an overwhelming heat encompassing him. It surrounded him, wrapping tight and squeezing. Too hot. That's all his thick head could manage. "Natsu, get off, you're freakin' hot."

"No."

"Ugh," the icemake wizard grunted throatily, tilting his head just an inch off the ground. His eyes screwed shut as he winced with the pain his swirling head lanced through him. It felt like he was struck endlessly by Laxus' lightning. After several seconds ticked by, he managed to open his eyes, the swirling tempest in his skull subsiding by a feather's breadth. Natsu. His pink spiky hair was just below Gray's nose. Against his neck, hot breath panted upon his cold skin, brushing over him as a smithy's bellows. Against his shoulder the rapid cadence of Natsu's trumpeting heartbeat pounded with life. "Come on."

"No. Never letting go." The dragon's burning body tickled against his skin, his nose trailing Gray's collarbone as he shook his head.

Gray groaned internally, willing his arm to move, pinned at his side between their bodies. Failing at that, he tried to bring over his other hand to just get some space between him and the inferno of heat. But he couldn't even feel his arm respond to his will. His head dropped back to the dirt with a soft thud as he let out an airy sigh. Gods, he couldn't even feel his body. Everything was numb. He must've gotten thrashed.

A small choking hiccup filled the empty cave air. The fire dragon shook, squeezing Gray tighter.

"Natsu?"

Just shaking his head, his entire body still trembling, Natsu spoke into Gray's neck, not letting himself be apart from him for a second. Everything he was told him to hold on to the cold body and never part from it again. "I – I'd thought I lost you."

"Idiot, take more than that to kill me." The icemake wizard's lips twitched in a faint semblance of a cocky grin, but fell when no quick retort came from the fire mage. "Natsu?"

Tilting his chin up, the fire dragon slayer's fiery green eyes wavered behind glistening tears. "Gra-a-a-y." Natsu stared at the man he loved, the impossibility of friendship between fire and ice had grown even more improbable to the extent of burning need. His jaw trembled. In a quick motion, without anything to turn him back from the future he would claim, Natsu closed the distance between them, drawing Gray's cold and chapped bottom lip between his.

The icemake wizard's hazy fog suddenly burst apart with intense light breaking through the dark swirling clouds in his head. Natsu. His lips were so warm, so inviting. Staring directly into his soul, the fire dragon slayer's burning green eyes shone. Feeling coursed through Gray's body. Wave after wave crashed through his cold frame, emanating from the fire of Natsu's heart. Gray stared into those emerald eyes, his mind reeling, trying to catch up with the present. What was this? Was he really kissing Natsu? What was that shine in his eyes? But as their connection remained, Gray's racing mind blurred. It all melted away.

In a field all alone, Gray raised his face to the sky, bathing in the firelight raining down upon him. The energy that hit him, filled him, unmistakable, and pure. It was a rainy day. A rain of light that would change the world.

In place of his turning thoughts, all that remained was a flame which burned away at all he was. Natsu's burning fingers trailed up his cheeks, warming his body and soul with the heat of everything he could be. Those strong fingers trailed up Gray's temples, raking back through his raven hair. In his throat, Gray weakly moaned, completely overwhelmed by the intensity of the fire dragon.

Never did Natsu's lips part from his. And his eyes continued to look through him, through the shell of the physical, through all that anyone had ever known him to be, down to the very core of who he was. The fire danced royally in those gem-like shining eyes. His hands caressed Gray. It wasn't sexual, the kiss they shared alone together in the dark cave, separated from the entire world. It was connection. It was the first link formed in a chain that would forever entwine the two. It was - Natsu softly pulled his dry lips off of Gray's, taking a deep shaking breath – it was love.

The little control Gray had over his body had seeped out, washed away as a top soil under the downpour. His head fell back to the dirt, though his eyes never left the burning fire in Natsu. And then it finally struck him. "I must've died."

The fire dragon slayer sat back a little, his ears cocking back, his brow setting hard over burning eyes. "Don't even say that."

Water welled in Gray's eyes suddenly, tears trailing down the sides of his head. Just as sudden, he chuckled. The laughing rocked in his chest, just as the tears fell, wetting his hair and falling into the parched ground. He shook his head slowly, his lips quivering as his eyes clamped shut tight. The tears welled behind the closed walls, breaking past his lashes. "That's the only way this could . . . this isn't real."

"Gray," Natsu softly framed the icemake wizard's hard jaw with his palm. "This is real. There's nothing more real."

"No it can't be. I confessed and then woke up and you were gone. You hate me. This is ju-"

Stopping his tear-filled rambling with his lips, Natsu squeezed Gray in his arms, pressing them together. Their lips separated slowly, though Gray's eyes remained screwed shut, unwilling to look at the facsimile of Natsu Dragneel. The fire dragon slayer sighed, running his thumb in small gentle circles over Gray's cheek, wiping away the trails of falling tears. "Look at me, Gray." Underneath his hand, Gray rocked his head back and forth, and if anything squeezed his eyes shut tighter. "Gray . . ."

"No . . . it's just a dream. I can't."

"Gray, it's not a dream. Please, open your eyes and look at me." When the response to that came in backing his face away, turning away, Natsu sighed heavily again, dropping his forehead into Gray's silken hair. Finally, he grabbed Gray's head firmly between his palms, forcibly turning it back to face him. Leaning in, the fire dragon grabbed Gray's bottom lip between his sharp fangs. And he bit.

"Ow! What the hell!" Jerking up, Gray's eyes shot open.

An intense fire shone in the dragon's eyes, tasting the faint trail of blood upon his tongue. The pungent smell of Gray's life pounded into him like the thrumming beat of a Taiko. Drawing Gray's hands between his, he pressed the icemake wizard's cold thin agile fingers against his chest. He barely bit back a hiss as the touch felt of snow upon his burning skin. "Feel my heart, Gray. That's real. It's beating for you."

Breath caught in his throat, Gray just looked up at the dragon over him silently. Under his palm a passionate percussive cadence drummed. "Natsu," tears started to well anew in the corners of his blue eyes, "I love you so much. I love you more than anything and anyone and—"

Pressing a finger to Gray's lips, Natsu just smiled a warm smile, the smile of a man who was more than a friend, more than anything he could ever hope for. A smile that wove a myriad of titles, of a partner, a lover, a friend, a rival, a companion, a soul mate, tied tightly into one package. "Shh, Gray, I know. You need to keep your strength, you've been out cold for days now. You can't go and over-exert yourself. Just lie back, okay?" Gently cradling the back of his head, Natsu guided it back down, his fingers wrapped in Gray's raven hair that was now mottled with dirt and rock, and a stiffness that brought a wave of disgust gripping his belly. Blood had hardened in Gray's hair, cementing the shining black locks together.

He sat back on his feet, looking down at Gray with a strange mixture of love, guilt, sorrow, and anger. Wrapping his fingers together with the ice wizard's, Natsu locked their hands. "Just let me do the talking, 'kay?"

Gray just gave a slight nod in reply, his eyelids falling in acceptance, blinking slowly.

"Okay," he started, but then just fell silent. Their eyes seemed caught in a fiery trance. "Haa," Natsu abruptly turned his head to gaze at the closest rock wall, "shit, this is harder than I thought it would be. Here I go on and on for days thinking of all the things I want to tell you, fearing that I may never get the chance. I worked and reworked what I wanted to say, how I felt, played it out a thousand times in my head. But, gods, I can't even . . ." The cold hand entwined with his gave a slight squeeze, causing the corner of Natsu's lips to bend. Doubling over, he planted a gentle kiss on the back of Gray's hand, right over the defiantly shining gold triangle against the cold pale skin.

With his free hand, he rubbed the back of his head, shaking his spiky pink mane absently. "Alright, I'm just going to say this as it comes to mind, okay? So don't blame me if it gets all jumbled – hell, I'm already not even making any sense.

"Okay, when you were unconscious, I just kind of didn't know what to do, I mean, gods, that wasn't what I wanted to say. What I mean is I felt lost. You know, over the past years when you weren't there, nothing ever felt right, there was always this nagging feeling, everything was unsettled in a way. I really thought that was the worst I could ever feel. It really just hurt. I didn't know why, and I didn't know what to do, but every day it just got worse and worse.

"But nothing compares to these last few days. Seeing you get hurt like that, it was the worst thing I could ever imagine. It was beyond any horror possible. I just watched as the fire tore through you, and I just felt hollow. Fire was my element, and yet it was burning a hole in my life. And then after I got you here, you were completely unresponsive. I just sat here, watching you. That was when it really hit me, Gray." Natsu traced his thumb over Gray's knuckles, tears wavering in his forest green eyes as the despair hit him again, the thought that Gray would never wake. But below him, crystalline blue eyes were open and locked onto him. "I realized I didn't want to live in a world that didn't have that damned icy droopy-eyed stripping bastard, Gray Fullbuster in it.

"I didn't know if you would ever wake, and every day that passed by without a single sign seemed like it was dragging me off a cliff. Without you, I was surely going to fall, Gray. So don't ever say again that I hate you. Because I love you. 'Kay? You know me, you know I'm not that swift with stuff like this. It took me a while to figure out what I was feeling, but I know now, I know that the pain of just thinking about losing you was tearing me apart."

Gray coughed raspily, his throat shooting through a dark red. He squeezed Natsu's hand tighter in his. "But then why—" Turning to the side, Gray succumbed to a long strain of tight coughs burning and cracking at his dry throat like hot molten whips. It was then that Natsu stood up, leaving his side. He turned back, the cough still uncontrollable, and he longed desperately as Natsu hurried away from him.

But he was back in a second, holding the mouth of his canteen to Gray's lips. "It kind of has a clay taste to it, there's a small spring I dug in the corner over there. It's not great, but it's still water. Please."

Taking drags from the canteen, Gray groaned as the cool water slid down past his tongue. Natsu pulled the canteen back before Gray could take another gulp. And he looked up, pleading, stretching for more water. He felt like he had been traversing a wide barren desert for weeks, the dry air seeping all moisture out of his body.

"Slowly, Gray. No large gulps."

When the fire mage lowered the metal lip back down to Gray's mouth again, he immediately pulled at it, sucking a large amount down before Natsu could yank it back again. Then a hot palm rested against his cheek.

"Gray, I mean it, it's not good for you to be taking in too much water, you need to rehydrate and drinking like that won't do it."

The icemake wizard just continued his pleading stare.

Raising the canteen next to his face, Natsu's expression fell sadder. "Small sips, okay Gray? Do it for me."

For Natsu? Obediently, he stared up with childlike eyes and Natsu nursed him, slightly tilting the metal canteen until little trickles of cool water poured out. A small endearing smile played upon the dragon's lips. Finally somewhat satiated, Gray tilted his head back, panting for air. But then he came back to gaze at Natsu. He didn't want to leave that image of the fire dragon hovering over him. "Why did you leave after I confessed?"

Natsu sat back, setting the canteen aside to take Gray's hand between his again. He needed that physical connection. For the days while Gray had lain unconscious on the cave floor, he was almost always holding him, snuggling against Gray in any way he could. He cocked his head. "You never confessed. I mean not directly at least."

Frowning, Gray slowly wound back his sluggish brain, back to before he had made that headlong dash to get to Natsu's side. "Yes I did. After that snake-thing."

"That night?" When no reply came, Natsu laughed softly. "You didn't confess to me. Maybe you were, it seemed like you had something really important to say, but then you just sort of collapsed and passed out."

"But then, why'd you leave me."

"Because, Gray," sighing hard, Natsu raked one hand back through his hair, while the other remained locked with Gray's. He really didn't want to even think of the image he had seen before all of this. But, with everything that happened, Natsu was left too raw and bare to think of a way of giving voice to his thoughts without just telling what had happened. "When we were fighting that beast, there was a moment when the world just kind of froze. And I saw you," wincing, Natsu bit at his lip uncomfortably, "I saw your ice sword go right through your chest. Gray, I saw you die!" Trembling, Natsu felt the hot water pouring down his face before he buried himself in Gray again. "I saw you die."

Blinking slowly, Gray dimly remembered seeing Natsu get pierced by swords as well. But it was just an illusion.

Natsu shook his head, rubbing his face against Gray's toned and lean side. "Then when you collapsed. Gray, you've been pushing yourself too damn hard since we got here! This wasn't even your quest, and I couldn't even bare to think that you might die here." His eyes locked onto Gray's. "And then you fucking push me out of the way and get yourself freakin' blown to pieces. Gods, Gray, that was exactly what I tried to avoid by leaving you."

Gray shook his head slowly, rubbing his hair further into the dirt. "You're an idiot."

"Wha-"

"Natsu come here," he flicked his eyes up, rolling his neck a little in a motion to signal the dragon. Hovering inches above his face, Gray strained his neck, arching up to connect their lips again. Pulling back, Gray gave the pink-haired man who held his heart a loving smile. "I'd never just leave, Natsu. I love you." Dropping back to the ground, his smile grew as a laugh bubbled up from his chest. "Gods, do you know how long I've been waiting to say those words? And now, how many times have I said it? I love you, Natsu. If you run away, I'll follow you. It doesn't matter. You talk like this, but do you know how I felt for all these years? I have loved you for so long, but I kept my distance because I thought it was the right thing for you. Yes, I came on this trip because of you, Natsu. And yes, I might die. Hell, I'm still on the fence about if I'm dead right now. I can't really feel my body. But, it doesn't matter, because I love you and there's nowhere you can go now that I won't follow."

Falling down, Natsu grabbed Gray's lips in his again, closing his eyes as his kiss was returned. How selfish was he? All this time, he felt so hurt, he felt such loss, he felt such a hole in his life, but what had he done to the man he loved? How had his actions led to so much pain? He pulled back, opening his eyes, unsure what to think.

Gray chuckled softly, as much as he could manage. "Baka!"

"Huh, you're one to talk!" Taking Gray's lips again, Natsu dove into the wintry world, drawing out his body. He felt like he was floating, flying free among pine and snow, welcoming, as odd as it was, as a warm hearth. He stared into Gray's deep blue eyes, thanking every god he could name that he could see the light in them again. He talked just over Gray's mouth, their lips grazing one another as he formed words, "all of this wouldn't have happened if you would have just told me to begin with. We could have these last years back. And we wouldn't be on this dumb century quest."

"But," Gray snaked his arm over Natsu's shoulders, drawing him down on top of him. He felt energy coursing through him form Natsu's lips. Every second he was connected with the fire dragon was a hum of life in his veins. "Now I get to have you all to myself for a hundred years, right?"

"True." Weaving his arms together around Gray, Natsu pressed himself tighter into the icemake wizard's body, fitting every curve of their frames together. And they kissed. Tears danced behind his closed eyelids. "I love you, Gray."

* * *

Next Chapter: See it Through, Together


	10. See it Through, Together

A/N: Yay! Just finished the last midterm I should ever take. Let's celebrate! So, here's the next chapter . . . maybe I should have studied for that midterm instead of writing this the night before . . . nahh. Anyway, cheers! *clink clink*

* * *

 **Chapter 10: See it Through, Together**

Gray's eyelids parted slightly, his entire world a softly shifting thick haze, obscuring everything there was. A small smile tugged at his lips just as his head dropped in resignation. He stared at the dry parched dirt under him, hard against his cheek as the moments drifted by. It had all been a dream.

But then warm breaths tickled against the back of his neck. Strong arms shifted around him squeezing tighter across his midsection. His lip quivering slightly, Gray ever so slowly twisted himself around, turning over to face the dragon wrapped around him. Natsu's soft tanned face was as an angel's grace in the dark of the cave, his eyes closed and quietly drifting through sleep. Pressing their foreheads together, Gray just stared silently at the peaceful sleeping dragon. If this was a dream, pray nothing would ever come to shake him from sleep.

Natsu's chin tilted, his hot burning lips meeting Gray's, locking the two together as their hearts beat. His eyes still closed, Natsu gently caressed Gray's lips with his, shifting and drawing him in deeper. Softly, he nuzzled against the cold icemake wizard. His eyelids parted over green shining flames which spread out wrapping around Gray's cold frame, enveloping him, overwhelming him.

"Hey, Gray." The dragon smirked, stealing another quick peck on those inviting lips. He felt drawn to them like nothing he'd ever experienced before. It was instinct, pure animalistic primordial need that enraptured Natsu. It was inexplicable. As surely as the moth to the flame, the bird seeking the sky, the wolf on the scent, the dragon was driven. Placing a soft warm kiss over Gray's beautiful crystal blue eyes, Natsu's smile grew. Suddenly, everything made sense. Even if it didn't. Nothing mattered to him now, but that frigid icy bastard.

"Natsu."

"Right here, Gray."

"Get up, I have to piss."

Snorting, the dragon rolled back, swinging his feet under him. So much for that mood, but, he let his fingers softly trace over Gray's face, lightly dancing a hummingbird's breath upon over those lips. Tugging Gray's arm, Natsu set it over his shoulder, holding onto his wrist with a strong hand. As gently as he could manage, Natsu hefted his weight. His chest grew tight. It was only a week or so, how could Gray feel so light now? He'd always been such a heavy bastard, dense with strong muscles, but the state he was in now sickened Natsu's stomach.

The icemake wizard's head hung next to him, grateful for the pillar of strength his body leaned against. Without it there was no way he would be standing. Hell, without him, there was no way Gray would be alive. Resting his head into the wild pink mane of hair, Gray softly whispered, "thank you."

Together they made their way to the farthest corner of the cave, the edge Natsu had already been using as a restroom. But when they stopped, a heavy frown settled over Gray's brow. He went to reach down to undo his zipper. "Gods, I swear I can feel my entire body, even if I can't really control it. I can feel the ground beneath my feet, you against me, but I still can't feel my freaking arm. Was it underneath me the entire time I was knocked out?"

"Gray."

The sudden despair in the way he said his name, Natsu's voice ripped jagged and raw. Gray glanced at the fiery man only to find his forest-green eyes dart away avoiding him. His face had dropped in disgust, the normal brilliance of his energetic sheen draining to a dull pale. "Natsu?" Gods, he didn't like that look. Not Natsu. Not the flame-brain powerhouse who was always ready with for a fight and as striking as a match upon a wick. "Natsu, what's wrong?"

The fire dragon's eyes screwed shut as his head shook slightly. The hand holding onto Gray's wrist tightened just as it started to shake. "Your arm, Gray."

"Huh?" Slowly swinging his head back around as to not send his world spinning in a vortex again, Gray's eyes locked onto his arm. Or rather, a jagged edge of his scapula sticking out oddly underneath the pale skin taut over his shoulder. And the nothing that was below it. He stared for a while at the absent appendage.

A bolt of searing pain scorched through his body, sparking over his shoulder deep in his bones and shocking through his suddenly rigid spine. Wincing, Gray's knees collapsed under the wave of unbelievable pain. Natsu caught him halfway to the ground, taking more of the icemake wizard's weight upon his shoulders. "Gray!?"

"Shit, my arm hurts." The raven-haired boy pressed all that he was into the hard muscular chest next to him, his brow upon the dragon's collarbone. "I mean . . ." Gray frowned staring at the complete absence of his left arm, gone from the shoulder blade, down. But it hurt. It felt like someone was sticking millions of burning knives into his arm, twisting and driving them with a vicious cruelty, mangling his nerves. "How? I feel it." He focused his mind on where he was sure his left hand was, seeking to curl it into a fist. His vision exploded. The icemake wizard collapsed, his breaths ragged as his chest thundered against the aftershock of the pain. What the hell was happening?

Natsu took all of Gray's weight, practically lifting him up off the ground. Gods, he wanted to just squeeze his arms around the raven-haired boy and never let him go. Gray was staring at the ground, his beautiful deep blue eyes hazy and unfocused. This should've been him, Natsu watched silently. Gray had no right to have pushed him out of the way like that. This should be his pain. "Gray."

The icemake wizard closed his eyes, settling his head against Natsu's skin, which felt as drawing warm and pleasant as soft white sand with the sun shining overhead coursing life into his body. They stayed just like that as minutes ticked by, Gray unhinged, just trying to reel himself back in, Natsu at a complete loss for words. The guilt weighed heavy and oppressive over him with crushing force.

Still breathing heavy, Gray sighed, opening his eyes again. "Okay, Natsu I'm not going to be able to stand on my own and I don't exactly have a free hand."

The dragon was still scowling wanting to dive inside and beat himself to a pulp for allowing this to happen to Gray. "Wha-" But Natsu's neck jerked when the man he supported suddenly started chuckling.

The dark haired man just shook his head back and forth at himself, a deep low rumbling laugh escaping past his chapped lips. He couldn't help it, even in this situation. Hell, his mind told him that it made no sense for him to be laughing given all that had happened to him, but maybe that was exactly why he was. It was all just so absurd and he couldn't believe what he was about to say even as his tongue formed the question. "Natsu, can you help me out?"

"Of course, Gray, I'm always going to be here from now on, you can always rely on me, Gray. No matter what Gray, I love you."

The chuckles broke with a snort, and Gray's crystal blue eyes swiveled up to match Natsu's green fires. "That's great, but, I mean – gods – Natsu, I can't undo my pants."

"Huh?" Natsu frowned, but just as quickly red burned across his cheeks. "Oh of course." His hand slowly reached down to the icemake wizard's cold hip, his fingers trailing over the leather of Gray's belt. "Uhh, can I?"

"Yeah." Gray couldn't believe what was happening, but even more than that, he examined the fire dragon carefully, a smile tugging at his lips. Those burning green eyes were so focused. His strong hand all but trembled as he slipped the belt free, undoing the buckle and then feeding the button free of the jeans. There was such intensity in that look as he tugged the zipper down. His burning hot fingers hitched, running along Gray's waistband, his eyes trailing up to those two blue crystals, asking permission again.

Nodding, Gray dug his bottom lip between his canines, watching the hand slowly move closer and closer to him pulling his boxer briefs down. "Gods." Natsu suddenly froze, his eyes darting back up to Gray as he broke into an even more fervent laughter than before. The icemake wizard's shoulders bounced as he glared off at the cave wall. "I can't believe this is the way I'm going to feel your touch for the first time. How freaking lame is that? Do you know how freaking long I've wanted you to touch me? And here it finally happens because I have to freaking pee. Talk about unromantic as hell."

At that, even Natsu chuckled through the depression that had been weighing on him. "I think it is romantic . . . in a way," he quickly added when Gray gave him a weird look. "I mean you're letting me help you with something that is a really private thing, right? It's really an intimate thing and though," Natsu fished his burning fingers down into the boxer briefs and wrapping them around Gray, his eyes lit up with an amused, yet loving glint, "I'm touching you , it's more something I want to do because I love you and not just because I think you're ridiculously hot."

Stunned, Gray blinked at the fiery blockhead and his silver tongue. "You think I'm ridiculously hot?"

Natsu smiled broadly, his sharp fangs shining as he squeezed his hand a little, fishing Gray's dick out. "Yeah, I do, but," Natsu glanced down at his hand and gave a small laugh, "I think we should take care of business first because someone is starting to get hard here and then it'll be impossible to relieve your bladder."

His cheeks burning a rosy inferno, Gray just nodded, stuffing his tongue back inside his mouth. His body decided that it was tired of waiting though, releasing the strain on his bloated bladder from days of not relieving himself. Leaning his head back, Gray couldn't help but moan. So good. He closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of Natsu's palm against him, the smell of a rustic campfire entwined with cinnamon branches washing over him as he leaned back into Natsu's wild pink hair.

When Gray finally finished, Natsu tucked him back in, rebuckling his pants with a small loving smile. And without any preamble, he dropped one of his arms low, sweeping down to Gray's hamstrings.

"Natsu, wha-ahhh."

Hefting Gray into his arms, Natsu grinned at him with the smile of a small boy who knew he would be getting away with something he longed for but knew he shouldn't. Sliding his sandal through the dirt, Natsu blanketed the pee in the corner and turned with Gray bridal style in his arms back toward the center light. Natsu had been expecting Gray to fuss and complain at this, but instead he had just let out a sigh and rested his head in the nook of Natsu's shoulder. The dragon smiled wider, a warm fire blazing in his chest.

As Natsu placed him on the ground, he took his lips, closing his eyes and letting all he was be in the sensation he felt blossoming through his body at that connection.

Gray sat back, supported on Natsu and he sighed contentedly. "Na—" His chin just . . . tilting his head down he stared intensely at the scaly white scarf wrapped around his neck. Natsu's muffler? When did . . .? "Natsu, your scarf."

"Hmm?" The pink-haired man rested his cheek against the raven locks. "What about it?"

"What do you mean? Why am I wearing it?"

"Because you were really cold."

"Tch, I'm always cold."

A brief silence after that remark caused Gray to look up at Natsu only to find a detached gaze rimming with a roiling anger. He blinked and said so quietly that Gray barely could hear, "not that cold."

Fingering the scarf, Gray rubbed the soft white material against his cheek. It too had that fiery scent. Having it wrapped around him was like a barrier against all the evil in the world. Nothing could touch him while he was surrounded by the dragon. But, he made to untwine it from around his neck. "This was Igneel's gift to you, Natsu. I know how much it means to you." Just the fact that Natsu had wrapped it around him to begin with was more than enough for Gray.

But, Natsu stopped him with a gentle touch from his hand which felt like a hot sun-warmed stone against his cold skin. He lent down, placing a small loving kiss on top of Gray's head while moving to rewrap the muffler. "Igneel gave this to me to protect me. I'll never forget that. I was scared and torn from a world I had barely known, but it didn't matter because I had my dad. He loved me, Gray. That's what this scarf is. It's a sign that he would always be there for me, because I was the most important person to him. It's the same now, Gray. It is mine to pass on to protect the one person I love, so please keep it."

Fighting the tears welling in his lake-blue eyes, Gray's hand quaked over the soft fabric, grabbing it tightly in his fist. "How could you possibly feel this strongly like this, Natsu?"

"What, are you saying you don't like it?" He paused, rubbing his cheek rhythmically against the top of Gray's head. "Or is it that you don't believe me?"

"Huph," Gray buried his nose in the folds of the muffler around his neck, taking in a deep drought of the heart-warming scent. "Natsu, what am I supposed to think? You ran away from me and left me behind and even after I chased after you, every hour that went by it just got worse and worse. You were purposely putting distance between us _again_. Then I just wake up and you are confessing how much you love me and all of this. I can't understand. Tell me what I'm supposed to think, okay? Because it doesn't fit for me. I know deep down that this can't be true and it just – it just feels like maybe you've mistaken whatever you are feeling as love when it's really just guilt. I mean, you looked over me while I was unconscious and you know how I feel about you, so I can't help but feel like this is all just you feeling bad that I got hurt."

"I do feel bad you got hurt."

"See, maybe that's all it is, so please don't play with my heart like th-"

"I feel so fucking horrible that you got hurt. I feel like someone reached inside of me and very slowly and methodically started squeezing my heart until it felt like it would just implode. I felt so fucking pissed. Pissed at that demon who hurt you, but pissed at you too, Gray. I still am. I'd rather have been the one to have gotten hurt, not you. But you are way out of line if you think it's guilt.

"I did leave you, and I did try to put as much distance between us as possible. And it's precisely because of this, Gray. I never wanted to see you get hurt. Just imagining something happening to you was the worst torture I could ever have lived through. Even when Ultear opened our second origins, that pain doesn't even begin to compare to the way I felt when I saw you get killed in that damn illusion, and it doesn't even come close to how much I hurt seeing you get torn apart.

"This isn't guilt. This is pure selfishness, all of it, from the very beginning. I'm a selfish person, Gray. Yes, I had an idea of how you felt about me, and that's why I wanted to get away from you while I could. Because I do _know_ how I feel about you, and if I had stayed with you any longer I would never have been able to let you go. I probably knew deep down that you wouldn't leave, Gray, but I wanted you to. I wanted more than anything for you to be safe and live a happy life. You, more than anyone else in this world. So I did the selfish thing, Gray. I chose to try and protect you even though I knew it wasn't what you wanted. And you know what, Gray? I'm always going to be this way, so you are going to have to deal with it, because you aren't going to shake me free this time.

"When I was a small child, there was this stupid stripping bastard who thought he could challenge me. He never freakin' left me alone. Every day we would be fighting until I had more bruises than I could count. But the next day would come and we would start it all over again. He knew me better than I think I even knew myself. He was the first family I had since Igneel disappeared. He was the first thing that made me wake up each morning with excitement and anticipation of the day. Once I met him, the world became a much brighter place for a brat like me.

"Then we grew up, me and that icy bastard. Side by side, we went through hell and back together. Whenever I was on my last breath and I could feel my life edging away, I never really worried. Because I believed in that man within my team. More than anyone else, we were always there to dig the other out of the deepest pit. I'd grown far too attached to that young stripper, so much so that I started to worry that I had become weak, because I no longer really wanted to fight him. I didn't really ever want our connection to just be fighting as rivals. I wanted more than that.

"And then one day, that stupid ice-for-brains idiot just disappears. Poof. Gone. Like I never really mattered to him. And it got worse every day that went by. Because, he was purposefully avoiding me. It was then that I started to feel this sharp pain right here," Natsu shifted, stabbing two fingers at the center of his chest. "It started to get hard to breath. And it just kept getting worse. It was like the connection I had with the entire world ended the day that man cut ties. So, I decided if nothing else I would make some purpose to the life that I had. And get some distance. That's what they say, right? Time will heal. But it wasn't time that healed me, Gray, it was when you caught up with me at the edge of Magnolia. That night, just having you by my side again, that sharp pain in my chest was gone."

The icemake wizard just stared up at the fiery dragon, not sure of what to say. "But, if all that's true, then why did you abandon me?"

"Why did _you_ start avoiding me?"

Gray frowned, recalling the deep pain the years of unrequited love had tolled on him. It had crumbled pretty much everything he thought he was, leaving himself raw. And even though he tried to move on, his heart was always caught on that fiery green-eyed dragon. "Because I love you so much that I couldn't stand it all. I knew it would just hurt you if I told you, because you would have felt obligated and torn because of your devotion to our family in Fairy Tail and I didn't want that," Gray mumbled into the muffler.

Natsu sighed, "well there's your answer, Gray. It's the same. When I started to realize just how strongly I needed you by my side, I knew that it would be best for you if I kept you at arm's length. I just wanted you to live because that's all that really made my life worth it."

Letting out a soft choked laugh, Gray grabbed Natsu's wrist firmly. "You're an idiot, flame-brain."

"You're one to talk, ice-for-brains. So do you believe me, now? I really do love you, with all my heart, and I realize I have for a long time now."

"Yeah," Gray nestled back into Natsu's collarbone, tucking his head underneath the dragon's chin, "I believe you. But if it's a lie, I'll kill you."

Smirking, Natsu squeezed his arms tighter around Gray. "Then it's a good thing it's the truest thing I've ever said.

* * *

 **Next chapter: The Power of Icemake (Phantom Pains)**


	11. The Power of Icemake

****Warning: This is an M rated story and should only be read by mature adults of legal age. This story contains explicit sexual context and is not meant for underage eyes. If you are underage and/or are offended by such content but continue anyway, it is not the responsibility of either this forum or the author.****

 **Chapter 11: The Power of Icemake (Phantom Pains)**

Gray very gingerly eased himself upright, placing his hand on the rough ground next to him for support. "Morning," he whispered to the dragon who leaned back against the cave wall giving him a look that was a myriad of emotions. In those burning green eyes shone an overwhelming love and yet in the week or so that had drifted by on the eddies of time since Gray had first woken, a hollowed pain and desperation lingered.

Though, the dragon smiled, "morning, Gray. How are you feeling?"

"Stronger than yesterday," Gray grunted as he pushed himself standing with a jerk. On the heels of his feet, he teetered like a tall lanky tree in a strong ripping wind. Natsu's hand was there, grabbing his elbow and lending his support in a blink, though Gray pushed off his hand with an open palm and a determined smile.

"You are getting better." Natsu let out a tight sigh of relief, though watched over him in the cave like a mother hawk, ready to spring to his side in an instant if ever he wavered.

After relieving himself, Gray managed to lean over and pick up Natsu's canteen without sending his world into a tipsy-turvy whirlwind. That in itself marked amazing improvement over the past few days. He sat down, really falling to the ground. He still didn't have the strength and control over his limbs for controlled motions, but, he shrugged as he tipped the warm clay tasting water into his mouth.

Natsu sat down across from him, pulling his knees into his chest, and wrapping his arms tight around them as we watched Gray. "Once you are well enough to travel, we should get you back to the boat."

The metal canteen hitched by his lip, as an intense frown fell over Gray's brow. He stared into empty cave for just a moment's breadth. Then he just shook his head, before taking another gulp of water. "We'll get back to the boat after this mission is done."

"Gray, if we get you back to Fairy Tail, Wendy could . . ."

The icemake wizard gave him a pitied look over a small tugging smile. "Come on, Natsu. We've been through this a hundred times already. Regrowing an arm is just simply not possible. Even for the sky dragon, it's just beyond her power. It would do no good to go back now."

"Still . . ."

"Do you think me a liability?"

Cringing, the fire dragon averted his eyes from his love. In truth, he did. They were already outmatched in this quest, and the fact that Gray was now handicapped would only mean that he would be in even greater danger the next time something came along. And he couldn't even bare to think of anything more happening to the man his heart now beat for.

"Natsu, this won't stop me from being able to fight, have some faith in me."

Mumbling, the dragon tucked his chin into his tented knees, "I have faith in you."

"And nothings going to happen to me, flame-brain, I promise."

"How could you promise that?"

Gray's eyebrow quirked just as the corner of his mouth twitched. "Because if something happens to me, then you'd be in danger, and I'm not going to allow that."

Natsu scoffed, shaking his head. He looked up to find the raven-haired boy giving him the dorkiest of protective looks. Natsu couldn't help but laugh at that. "You really think you're weak-ass self can protect me?"

"Damn right, I-"

The fire dragon lunged forward as the metal canteen fell from Gray's cold fingers, meeting the dirt with a solid thud. Wrapping his arms around the icemake wizard, Natsu felt his chest collapse again. Gray buried his wincing face in the dragon's shoulder, clutching at his left shoulder with a rigid bony grasp. Rubbing the back of his head slowly, Natsu squeezed the suddenly rigid body into him, willing the pain to transfer into him. Yet no matter how hard Natsu wished, he could never take the pain away from Gray.

A minute passed by and Gray sat back, huphing for air. The dragon's jaw clenched in knots. He ran his burning fingers across Gray's cold and clammy brow, wiping away the perspiration.

Leaning into the touch and opening his heart up to the warmth, the icemake wizard let out a tight sigh. He glanced at his shoulder, rolling it.

"It's not getting any better."

In reply, Gray just shook his head, continuing to stare at the empty space his left arm used to occupy. He swore he could feel it, feel it's bite; it burning and disappearing in a maelstrom again and again. Though he could logically stare at its absence and register that it was gone, his mind just wouldn't let go. And every time his thoughts lingered to absently clenching the muscles in his ghostly arm, searing bolts of pain seared through his entire body, originating like a whipping and arcing high-voltage line from his misshapen shoulder blade.

"Are you feeling well enough to use magic?"

Taking in deep breaths to sooth away the stinging lines of pain laying deep within his body, Gray closed his blue eyes, searching back inside his mind. He smiled. There it was, that golden power that rested in and among his thoughts like a seed laid bare. For the first time since he had created that charger in order to reach Natsu, Gray could feel that kernel of strength that embodied everything he was. "Yeah, let's try it." Glancing down at his hand, he frowned, recalling Ur's lessons. One-handed icemake was inherently unstable. "Sorry, Ur. I said I would always follow your technique."

Calming his mind, he walked out onto a frozen oblivion underneath a blanket of shining stars. The ground reflected those sparkling heavenly memories, lending the floor to the sky. Among the stars, he turned in place, his hands on his hips, taking in a savory breath. This was his world.

Natsu watched silently as minutes ticked by. Gray didn't make one movement. He watched those closed eyelids carefully, waiting.

In Gray's cold palm a sheet of ice coalesced, stretching out from its center as ice formed along its edges. Taking a shaky breath, Gray opened his eyes to stare at the simple icemake. "Shit, that was hard."

"It's to be expected. It'll get better."

Frowning, he inspected the fragile looking plane of ice. He'd never found it so hard to tap into his magic before, it was as if he was walking down a path that for every footstep he traveled, the dirt stretched another three. "How did this thing look?"

Natsu's gaze went to the ceiling as he tried to summon the image he had seen in Gildart's home. He had shown Natsu this box-like system of mirrors which he had to use after Acnologia destroyed his leg. The phantom pains, as he told Natsu then, were indescribably painful; it shook to the very core of the body. To be hurt by the simple absence of a piece of yourself was a heavy toll. Natsu hadn't given it much thought then, but after seeing Gray go through it these past several days . . . He shook his head, biting back tears welling in his emerald eyes.

Tracing a finger through the dirt, Natsu detailed a small diagram as best he could from memory.

Craning his neck, Gray cocked his eyebrow with a smirk. "What the heck is that? Natsu, I'm pretty sure Erza's two-year-old could have drawn a better picture."

"Well, it's not like I can remember exactly what it looks like!"

"Still, what do you expect me to do with that picture? What are those? Wings?"

Rolling his tongue over his sharp canines and into his cheek, Natsu gave his love an unamused glare. "Maybe you just want to try and invent it all on your own then."

"Natsu."

"Wha-"

Making sure to keep the ice balanced between the pad of his palm and his outstretched fingers, Gray leaned in, meeting Natsu's lips with his. There lips separated with a pop and his crystal blue eyes shone. "Okay, just help me and give some directions while I mold it. I think I get the general idea."

Swallowing hard, attempting to stamp down his thundering heart, Natsu gave a sharp intense nod.

"Woah, careful there. Stare at this ice that hard it's gunna end up melting, flame-brain."

Snorting, Natsu rolled his eyes and refocused.

A vein in Gray's neck prominently popped out as he strained to tug at the threads that were an unraveling tangled mess of his magic. Slowly, the ice bent, one edge of it curving over itself in a wide arc as the sides bent in. The center porturded as a spire, exponentially melding into the plates at its base. With Natsu's guidance, the spire seamlessly morphed into a bowed shape meeting from both sides in the center. Completing the lens, Gray's eyebrow quirked as he gasped. Beads of sweat trailed down his face. The magic just disappeared. "Shit."

Grabbing his arm with a reassuring grip, Natsu nodded slowly, "it's okay, you did an amazing job, Gray. Take a breather, I should be able to do the rest." Gray sat back, growling at himself. He felt so unbelievably tired just from a little icemake? How weak was he? Natsu held the ice box reverently on top of his vest over his palms. Crossed-legged, Natsu sat, intensely focused on his finger as it trailed the ice, melting it. He guided the falling ice with a diligent hand, washing over the ice in a light sheen.

Watching the way his hand reflected through the wall, Natsu's brow furrowed as he melted the mirrors into the perfect shapes. It took two hours before he was satisfied, sitting back with a huph, and gingerly resting the contraption on the ground.

"Aww."

"What's up? You sound disappointed. It's finally done!"

Chuckling, Gray's eyes fell to his index finger which meandered aimlessly through the dirt. His pale cheeks burned brightly. "I just . . . I guess you are going to put your vest back on now."

Eyes wide, a rosy pink spread across Natsu's face. "I – I could stay like this if you really want, not like the vest covers me up all that much anyway."

"It's just . . . I like looking at you, knowing I can, knowing I don't have to hide it anymore."

The dragon gave a sultry wink. "Does that mean I can openly stare at you the way I want?"

"What?"

"I like seeing you."

"Then why the hell did you get so mad when I would strip?"

"Because . . . I could look," he sidled closer, dropping his voice low and heavy in Gray's ear, "but I couldn't touch." But, he sat back with a shrug, "guess, I still can't really touch. At least not until you're better."

Blinking repeatedly, Gray stared toward the green-eyed dragon at a complete loss. "Once I'm better . . ." His heart took a quick double leap in his chest, trumpeting into his ears. "You mean, you want . . ."

"You," lips split wide over sharp white fangs, "yeah. Is that a problem?"

Gulping, Gray felt the intense inferno burning at his cheeks. Were they really talking about this? Were they really going to be doing . . . gods, he was a grown man, but faced with this green-eyed demon, he was but a nervous giddy child again. "No. It's not a problem. Once I'm better," Gray scanned Natsu from tense broad shoulders down a smooth and sculpted chest and over the defined hills and vales of his silky abs. He leaned forward, his fingers twitching at his sides. He looked a terrifyingly beautiful beast set to pounce. "Once I'm better," Gray repeated more to convince himself that the future lay near and to continue, "you'd probably kill me if we did it now."

"And it was such a pain in the ass saving your life."

"Once I'm better," Gray nodded determinedly at his recording etched in stone in his mind. Gods, he had to hurry up and get better. To that end, he clenched his right hand into a fist and clumsily sidled to sit in front the ice contraption they had made.

Natsu wove his way around Gray, leaning into his back and wrapping his strong arms around Gray's thin waist. He would be the rock, as much for physical support as emotional.

"So I just stick my arm in this side?"

"Mmhmm, and focus on the reflected image."

Sliding his arm into one side of the box contraption, Gray stared intensely at the left side. His arm's reflection filled the box and just for a second Gray smiled a sigh of relief as he looked at his left arm. But, his better reason kicked in, as was its way, and he glanced to Natsu. "Okay, so what do I do?"

Pursing his lips, Natsu bit his cheek between his sharp fangs. "I really don't know. Gildarts just kind of moved his leg around and watched the other side. Uhm, maybe try focusing on your left arm while moving your right."

Returning his gaze to the ice box, Gray watched the phantom reflection. His left arm. Squeezing his fingers into the pad of his hand, in his mind, he tried to consciously think about clenching his left fist. Funny, how strange it was to have to think about moving a limb. So much of the body was automatic. What if we had to think about every little thing we did?

On the left side of the box, his hand balled into a fist and then released back out, stretching his fingers wide. Natsu watched over him like a silent guardian statue as he poured his attention into his absent arm.

Throughout the hour that passed by, Gray ran through every possible way he could imagine his hand to bend, running through every dexterous sign he could contort into comfortably. When he got bored with that, he shifted his attention up to the wrist, rolling it back and forth before going higher to the elbow. Tensing the muscles in his forearm, he watched as his left arm's muscles stood out underneath his pale skin, etching beneath the surface like hard cut blades. Finally, He sat back with a sigh, pulling his arm free from the ice.

"How do you feel?"

"I don't know." Rolling his neck, Gray rubbed at the knots across the top of his lats with his right hand. "I mean, it doesn't hurt. I guess that means it helped, right?" Looking to Natsu, his joking smile fell fast and hard. The dragon's jaw knotted as his teeth mashed slowly. His beautiful fiery emerald green eyes wavered behind a wall of tears. "Natsu?"

Shaking his head, Natsu scrubbed his forearm over his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Gray. You shouldn't have to be going through any of this! All of this crap just so it doesn't hurt. I'm so sorry."

Scooting over to his side, Gray wrapped his arm around the fire dragon slayer's shoulders, tucking his fiery pink mane of hair underneath his chin. He let out a tired sigh. "Please, stop it, Natsu. I don't regret it, not for one second. And it's not your fault at all. It was my choice. I chose to push you out of the way, and I'd do it again without any hesitation. It wouldn't matter to me if I knew I would've lost my arm, or even if I knew I would've come out much worse. Natsu, look at me." Staring deep into those green fields, Gray smiled. "Please stop doing this to yourself."

When Natsu's eyes continued to water as he gazed back into those icy blue glaciers, Gray gave him a peck on the tip of his nose. "You know what, Natsu? Seeing you feel like this. Million times worse than the pain of losing my arm. So, can you promise me, please, that you'll stop thinking these things? I love you, Natsu."

"I love you too." Resting his head against Gray's, he let out a tight breath, his lungs hitching. "I'm sorry."

"Okay, now how about dinner?"

Natsu chuckled at that quick turn, pulling Gray's lips with his own. He left Gray for a second while he rummaged through the pile of his pack, pulling a couple pieces of jerky out of a bag and plopped back down next to the icemake wizard.

"Thanks." Snapping a bite off the jerky, Gray chewed and chewed at the over-dried tough meat. "You're not having any?"

"Not hungry." When Gray stared at him flatly, Natsu just tried to avoid his icy blues eyes. Then his stomach betrayed him and rattled out a low growl.

"Natsu."

"There's not much left."

Separating the two pieces of jerky in his hand, he held out one piece between his forefinger and thumb at arm's length. A hot hand just pushed his gently away as the dragon shook his head. Gray's eyes turned hard. "Natsu, take the piece."

"No, who knows how long we'll be in here, and I can't just leave you in here alone and go out to find some more food on this barren desolated mountain. What if something comes while I'm away?"

"Natsu, take the damn jerky."

"No."

"Damn, stubborn flame-brain idiot." Snapping off a large bite from the jerky, he dropped the rest on his lap as he curled his fist in Natsu's pink hair. Tugging harshly at him, he slammed their lips together. Before the dragon could react, Gray used his tongue to press the meat into his mouth before closing his mouth tight. As Natsu glared at him, the jerky sticking out in revolt between his front fangs, his lips curled back, Gray hissing, "don't you dare start playing with me, Natsu. You haven't eaten this whole damn time, have you, idiot? It's been days, Natsu, gods. Eat it. Eat it," Gray repeated as his glare turned frigid.

The dragon sucked the piece of jerky back in his mouth, taking a couple chews before swallowing hard. The rough piece of meat scraped down his sore dry throat. "Don't get all high-and-mighty with me, ice princess. You are allowed to go on and on about how you'd so happily lose your arm to protect me, but you won't even let me do something for you? You're injured. And you need to eat to regain your damn strength. I'm fine, I've been through much worse - I've not eaten for weeks before on a mission. I'm going to do everything I can for you, Gray, don't you get that? It doesn't matter to me any meager little pain I feel, it doesn't even compare to what you are going through! So eat the rest of that meat and don't you dare give me shit about this!"

The two fell into an uncomfortable silence as Gray gnawed at the jerky. The silence was a slowly creeping dread crawling over them. When the last of the meat disappeared down his throat, Gray sighed hard. "I'm sorry, Natsu."

"Me, too," Natsu mumbled, rubbing at his bare neck absently.

"So, what are we going to do from now on? We both want to sacrifice to make the other's life better, I get what you are saying, Natsu . . . But, I'm always going to want to protect you."

"And I, you."

"Let's just agree to take a middle-ground, okay, flame-brain?" Gray asked, shifting to nuzzle his head against Natsu's shoulder. "We share the good and the bad. You'll eat, and I promise to not get another of my arm's blasted to kingdom come."

Snorting, Natsu raked his fingers up through Gray's raven hair. "Idiot."

Over the next week, Gray's strength seemed to redouble every day. Each day that passed by, Gray would fashion a new mirror box out of ice, working through the range of exercises he had practiced with his imaginary arm. Every time he tapped into his magic, the task became easier until finally after a week, he could seamlessly transition past the barrier in his mind and feel the icy power surging through his frame. And each day, Gray would manage to get Natsu to eat just a small bite of their rapidly dwindling supply of food.

Gray rolled over and started his day the way he had quickly become accustomed to. He drew Natsu's burning lips into his, allowing a cold icy mist play over his lips, and enjoying the tingling sensation of the ice evaporating as it met Natsu's skin.

The dragon smiled, his lips bending wide as his eyelids parted to reveal gloriously burning green flames. Slipping his tongue past their lips, Natsu enjoyed the start to his morning routine, savoring the wintry taste of Gray's mouth. Their tongues tangling around each other. "'Morning, Gray."

"'Morning, still not tired out of my morning breath?"

"You don't really have morning breath. It's like you always have a mint under your tongue." He cocked his head, inches away from Gray looking with an amused glint into the blue icy eyes he loved. "Am I killing you with morning breath?"

"Yeah, it's disgusting." Gray winked, pecking at Natsu's full lips. "Not really, it's the most bizarre thing, really, it's just more spicy."

"Spicy?"

"Yeah, even your breath is extremely hot." Gray rolled his tongue over his lips, enjoying the heady taste of burning cinnamon.

"Even my breath, huh?" Natsu rolled on top of Gray, straddling him with his knees. Leaning in deep, he tugged at Gray's wintry lips, giving light little nips with his sharp fangs.

Moaning deep in his throat Gray ran his hand down Natsu's side, hooking his fingers around the dragon's hip.

Natsu pulled back, smiling brightly. "There we go, my morning dose of Gray. Now I'm ready to start the day!"

Chuckling, Gray sat up, shoving Natsu back into the dirt. He pounced on top of the prone dragon, raking his teeth along Natsu's jaw.

Shivers racked down his spine as a throaty animalistic moan ripped out his throat. He shoved his head back into the dirt. "Gray?"

"I'm not ready for the day yet. I need much more of my favorite dragon."

"Oh, so there are other dragons you like, I'm just the favorite?"

"Shut up," Gray silenced his prey by locking their lips and pulling them deep inside each other. Diving even further, Gray stared fiercely at Natsu as his tongue wondered inside his mouth. Sitting back on his haunches, Gray smirked, wiping the saliva free from his chin. "Idiot."

For the first time Natsu could see flames burning in the eyes of that cold man. They were wild blue, snapping with a burning desire that called out to him and drew him lost. Glacier blue fire coursed. Gray dove down, but hesitated, hovering inches from Natsu's all-consuming fire. "Can I?"

Natsu couldn't help the rolling laugh that escaped his lips. The burning intensity in Gray's eyes was of a dangerous hunter pinning down his prey and yet he asked permission like a puppy. "You better, I've needed you ever since that first dream, I've been dying to touch you."

"Dream?" Gray's eyebrows furrowed as he shifted his weight back on top of Natsu. "What dream?"

The dragon's cheeks burned as he turned his head away from the suddenly powerful ice mage. He felt completely exposed underneath that icy fire. "I . . . have been having dreams about you a lot."

Blinking in surprise, Gray cocked his head. "What kind of dreams?"

"Gods, what do you think!?" Burying his face behind a mask of his hand, he felt the heat coming off his face as he hid. "Ever since the first night here, I –" Natsu hissed, arching his neck back, his sharp jaw tilting skyward as icy lips met his neck.

Scraping his teeth across the burning skin, Gray closed his eyes, enjoying the full submersion into Natsu's world. He was enveloped. Every smell, every feeling, every thought, they were all of this unbelievable dragon. He sat back, smirking like a mischievous little boy. "I've been dreaming of you for a long time." Softly, he trailed his cold hand up Natsu's bare chest, caressing the defined cut muscles and weaving his fingers underneath the cotton fabric of his vest. "I've needed to feel your heat for so long, Natsu."

Smiling fiercely, Natsu grabbed Gray's wrist with a strong grasp while his other held onto his narrow hip. And in a flurry, he flipped the raven haired boy down, pouncing on top of him, pinning him to the ground underneath him. With his hot tongue, he trailed up the divide in Gray's smooth strong chest. As he savored the mountainy taste, setting his blood on fire, his gaze was locked onto the icemake wizard's. "I'll melt you away, ice princess."

Moaning deep in his throat, Gray arched his back as Natsu's burning kisses pecked at his chest, trailing up to his neck. His eyes shot wide as his body shuddered. Natsu bit down with his sharp white fangs into the pale skin. "Shit!" Gray's mouth worked weakly to say more, yet everything caught in his throat. He quaked as sensation washed over him, pure feeling washing away all he was. In that instant, his body grew foreign, the world drew black, and all of the universe culminated in the fiery life beating into his neck. Spikes of jolting electricity raced down his spine, numbing his body.

Licking over the mark he left, Natsu's lips bent devilishly. He moved a little lower down the wintry man's neck, this time sucking on his cold skin. He was going to devour this man. His fingers danced their way underneath the hem of Gray's t-shirt, lifting the fabric to slide to the prize underneath. Absently, he scoffed in his head. The one time the damn stripper had a shirt on! Well, there was a quick fix to that. Drawing his arms up to his chest, the t-shirt rolled up caught on his forearms, revealing the beautiful skin over the sculpted muscles of Gray's abdomen.

Gray lifted his arm, allowing his shirt to be tugged off of him. In that second where contact with the fiery man was lost as the shirt was a barrier between them, he felt the sky falling. The world was crumbling away. But then the fire returned to his skin, burning fingers trailing up his sides, squeezing lightly. His skin sparked, tingling as the heat met him. As his chest thundered, life pounded through his veins.

Hot fingers trailed down to his hip, tracing lightly down the v disappearing into Gray's jeans. Gemlike green eyes shone as his fingers tore are Gray's belt buckle, whipping the belt free. His hand hovering over Gray's zipper, Natsu stared down at his trembling fingers.

Gray shuddered at the touch through his pants. He moaned as the heat caressed his rock hardness through the fabric.

Palming his groin, Natsu traced his fingers down either side of the hard outline. As his hand lovingly embraced Gray, he laid back down, bringing Gray into a long and deep kiss. His fingers stroked as his tongue wrestled with Gray's, both boys throatily giving voice to their passion driving from their beating hearts.

As the dragon continued to delve into Gray's mouth, he growled animalistically, his eyes lit aflame. Ripping down Gray's zipper, he shoved the open pants down to reveal Gray. Glancing down underneath the entwined bodies, he grinned ferally at the bulge tenting the black cotton boxer briefs, stretching and fighting against the tight fabric. Glancing his fingertips along Gray's wide waistband, he heated his palm more, squeezing the pole lightly.

Gray pulled back, panting heavily. "Natsu, this is unfair."

"Unfair?" The pink-haired man cocked an eyebrow as he smiled seductively.

"Yeah, I mean, you still have all your clothes on!"

"Hmph, too bad!" Smiling wider, his fangs shown. "Nothing you can do about it."

Gray smirked, driving through his mind and tapping into the golden seed of his magic. Frost spun around the two, snapping into form at Gray's left shoulder.

"Wha-?"

Driving the newly formed arm of ice into Natsu's shoulder, he sent him flying backward, pivoting like a switch, landing with a thud on his back in the dirt. The only pilot light illuminating the cave winked away as Natsu yelped in surprise. Gray pounced on top of the dragon, pinning him down similarly as he had been. He blinked a couple times, his eyes adjusting. Natsu?

Below his hands, Natsu's hard cut body glowed. His normally tan skin grew translucent to the flames that licked underneath the surface. In the back of his throat, small flames danced as the dragon panted, his eyes alit in the utter darkness. Smirking, he ripped off Natsu's vest to reveal more fire vibrating skin. As he ran his hands over Natsu's chest, falling down his obliques, Gray watched with delightful amusement as the tones of color underneath him shifted. With each touch, the flames beneath the skin took on a new light.

Tugging at his white pants, Gray evened the playing field, stripping the hot man down to his fire red trunks. Sure, he wanted to tease the dragon the way he had, but when it came to it, he couldn't wait another second to touch him. Sliding his fingers underneath the metallic looking waistband, Gray grinned as he wrapped around Natsu, feeling the heat throbbing in his palm. He glanced down. "Gods, Natsu, you look like you have a lantern in you underwear." The icemake wizard chuckled at the burning light coursing through the fabric just as the dragon under him growled.

Sidling down on top of Natsu, he withdrew his hand to palm over Natsu's burning skin. Nipping at the dragon's lip he teased lightly as his hips rocked grinding their arousals together through the fabric. He worked in small circles, thrusting himself tight against Natsu's groin as their lips locked.

It was then Natsu elicited such a strange sound that forced Gray to open his eyes in wonderment. Was he purring? Gods, he was so cute.

As Gray rubbed their groins together, Natsu took advantage of the situation and his free hands found their way to Gray's waistband again. He moved down suddenly grabbing each cheek with a hard grasp causing Gray to thrust forward uncontrollably, breaking their kiss as he bit his lip.

"Oh, you like it rough." Natsu dead-panned, an evil smirk spreading across his lips as he raised his hand and smacked down hard. A soft thud echoed through the cave as Gray moaned, pressing their embrace tighter.

"Bastard," Gray growled biting down hard enough just below the dragon's jawline to release a small yelp.

"Okay, okay! You just have such a great ass!"

"Then why would you smack it?"

"Had to," Natsu answered childishly, before stealing a peck on the lips, "you liked it, don't act like you didn't, I can smell how excited you are, Gray."

"Just tell me we are going to be doing that first next time," Gray mumbled.

Beaming, the dragon winked up at his icy lover. "Deal. For now, I'll be gentle." And true to his word, his grip lightened on Gray's butt, massaging it gently through his underwear. Slipping one hand inside the waistband, he languishly slowly trailed his fingertips down to the dimple of Gray's ass.

"Mmmmm." Gray groaned in response, driving his hips gyrating anew. After a few ragged breaths, he pulled back. The sudden jerk of motion separated Natsu's hand from his body and left the dragon with a disappointed glare in his roiling green eyes. But, the icemake wizard just smirked, gripping Natsu's waistband and tugging down his trunks with one quick jerk. Natsu's excitement sprang up, slapping against his pelvis. It pulsed with each of his rapid escalating heartbeats as Gray bent over, his face growing nearer and nearer to his arousal.

Icy cool breath panted against his skin causing him to hiss and slam his skull back into the dirt. In one go, Gray devoured Natsu, shoving himself down on the hard shaft and taking all Natsu was down his throat. A gag quaked Gray's shoulders, his throat shooting through a brilliant anguished red. Quickly throwing himself free, Gray started caughing, fighting back another gag. He swiped at his lips with the back of his wrist. "Damn, too much." Shaking his head, he took a second to steady himself before diving down again.

This time, he took Natsu in slowly, sliding his tongue underneath Natsu's hard shaft. As he bobbed slowly, he let the tip of his tongue flick, wrapping up and teasing the corona of Natsu's sensitive head. With each flick of his tongue, Gray's reward was a sharp intake of air, falling into a series of low rumbling moaning growls. Gray smiled wickedly, pulling up and giving the tip a kiss, looking Natsu straight in the eyes. He was a boy with a new favorite toy.

"Gray, stop!"

Frowning, Gray looked up from his handiwork, holding Natsu with a ring of his forefinger and thumb at the base of his cock.

Natsu's glowing chest pounded, gleaming with sweat. He smiled in between breaths. "Shit, you're good. But this isn't fair, and you were the one who was all about the fair thing." Gray cocked his head in response, teasing out his tongue, running it very slowly over Natsu's head. Nodding backward, Natsu grinned. "Spin around. You said we are going to share everything, right?"

It took a second for Gray to fully register what the fiery man underneath him was saying but when it did, his lips spread wide. Standing up, Gray freed himself, pulling down his black boxer briefs to his ankles, sending them flying through the cave. Spinning like a dog chasing his tail, Gray did a 180, his knees renting to either side of Natsu's head.

Under him, the dragon urged him down, grabbing his inner thighs with a steady grip. He rubbed lightly, tickling at the cold pale skin just below Gray's beautiful muscular butt.

Gray hissed, his teeth clamping together as his eyes screwed shut. Natsu's mouth felt a fire. The intense heat grabbed him, sucking him in deep into the back of his throat. As his tongue started to move, his throat constricted, the muscles massaging Gray's arousal in him. "Holy shit!" Gray's whole body shuddered, electricity exploding through his body. It felt so damn good! Better than anything he had ever felt! The heat! The movement! Unable to take it for a second longer, he tried to sit back, to pull himself free of the fire's grasp, but Natsu's grip was resolute against his legs, and his neck arched, pulling him deeper inside still.

Gray's back arched as his mouth opened in wordless exclamation to the ceiling. Feeling exploded through his body, leaving him numb. All senses left him, fleeing his body in a sudden rush. All he could feel was Natsu.

Underneath him, the dragon smirked, swallowing the pungent load down his throat. The smell was absolutely intoxicating. Heady, he felt like he was adrift, lost on a swaying ocean wave. He sucked the last few drops free, pulling back and licking his lips. "That was fast."

Suddenly blushing, Gray cursed. "Shut the hell up, flame-brain."

"Was I that good? I barely even got a chance . . ."

"Shut up."

"Jeez, you're like a little boy getting over-excited like th-shit!"

Gray dove down fast and hard, squeezing his lips tight. Bobbing up and down, a sultry wet slurping sound echoed through the empty cave as he devoured Natsu. It was only a matter of seconds before he got a hot and bitter load. Grinning in his triumph, he sidled off of Natsu, sitting back on his heels. Flicking his tongue over his thumb, Gray chuckled. He hung his head a little though as his shoulders bounced. "Gods, I can't believe how long I've waited for that and it's over just like that!"

Pushing off from the ground, his arms behind him, Natsu sat up. Wrapping his arm around Gray's narrow hips, he tugged the icemake wizard into his body. "It's over? I'm ready for round two!"

"Round two!" Gray shook his head, but he was quickly hardening again. "You're incorrigible!"

"Ahhh, babe," Natsu grabbed Gray in a long deep sensuous kiss, rolling both of their tastes together into one, "you fell in love with a dragon, you should've known what you were getting yourself into!"

A short laugh broke them apart. Taking advantage, Natsu jumped on top of his love, spinning around and lowering himself into a mirror of the position Gray had just been in. Tracing his hot fingers up Gray's thigh, he danced along the cold skin until he reached his prize. Cupping Gray's balls, he slowly massaged them while fingering Gray's perineal raphe.

Gray shuddered at the burning touch to the sensitive ridge extending from his balls to his ass. But, not one to ever be outdone – especially by the damn flame-brain – Gray dove down, taking Natsu deep inside of his throat. He hummed, the vibrations down his throat, emanating from his chest, elicited a sharp moan from the dragon. Growling, Natsu grasped Gray in his mouth. Both boys quaked as the other gave all they were to give pleasure to his partner.

* * *

Gray woke again some unknown amount of time later. The thick pungent smell of sex filled the cave enveloping them. Snoring, the still sleeping dragon shifted, squeezing his arms tighter around Gray's waist. Smiling, the icemake wizard traced his hands blindly behind him, exploring the smooth naked body. How many times did they do it? Gods, he felt completely drained, yet, he felt alive. Never before had he felt so in tuned with another. It was as if he could feel within the Natsu's body, entwined together, connected more than any physical bond could tie.

Natsu shifted, biting his fangs lightly into the tip of Gray's ear, forcing out a small chuckle. "I knew you weren't still asleep. Faker."

"Mmmmmm, don't know what you are talking about, I am asleep," came a deep rolling mumble.

"Yeah, okay, and you just put together perfect thoughts as sleeptalk."

Amusement sparking in his green eyes as his eyelids parted, Natsu winked slowly. "You just taste too damn good."

"I'm going to end up being completely consumed by you, huh?"

Bright fangs shone. "Probably."

"Worse fates," Gray shrugged. After a long deep pull of Natsu's lips, Gray stood up, stretching his naked body out, moaning lightly as he felt his muscles stretch.

The boys didn't say much after they woke, satisfied beyond words in their own little world inside the cave. They shared a silent connection that words would only have cheapened. It wasn't until they had dressed and eaten the last scraps of their food stores, that Natsu finally broke the comfortable silence. "You made a left arm while we were . . ."

Gray nodded, grinning. "Today's the day we leave this cave, Natsu." Walking to the cave's collapsed mouth, he smiled back to the pink-haired dragon, extending out his right palm, holding it up to Natsu, "give me your hand." When the dragon obliged, he pressed their palms flat together as he closed his eyes. He drew deep inside of himself to the golden light of his magic, and its threads coursed out between their palms. Beating with their connected hearts, the air around Gray began to shimmer. Mist wrapped around his shoulder, sparkling off of Natsu's flames.

Smiling, Gray took a step closer, drawing Natsu's lips to his. As they met, the fiery beat of Natsu's heart thundered into him. The mist whipped around the two embraced lovers, clouding them, a pure white shroud. After minutes drew past, Gray pulled back from Natsu with a soft smile upon his reddened lips. Flicking up his shining left hand, Gray tagged Natsu's chin with a wink. Dropping it down to his side, he wrapped his icy fingers with Natsu's.

* * *

 **Next Chapter: A Dragon's Rage**


	12. A Dragon's Rage

**Chapter 12: A Dragon's Rage**

With Gray's icemake fingers locked between his, Natsu felt a fire boiling up within his body. It was going to consume him, he knew, for it was growing hotter and hotter inside of his chest with every hour he spent alongside the raven-haired, beautifully sculpted icemake wizard. Channeling that overwhelming burning tempest into his fist, he punched his free hand into the air. The cave wall he had collapsed so many days ago burst apart without so much as a feather's resistance among a cataclysmic blast. The massive man-sized boulders rocketed into the air. The fresh mountain air swept into the opening like a vacuum bared. Hand-in-hand, together they stepped out of the cave. He smiled beatifically at the man next to him, his already molten heart melting further with the beautiful happiness falling over the pearlescent face.

Gray took in a long deep breath. For over a week, the dusty, stale, and recycled air trapped inside the cave had given him life, but the free mountain air filled his lungs so sweet. Closing his eyes, he took in another long draught, enjoying the subtle lines of heated fiery summer that wove with the mountainy air as gold filigree. That was his love. His nakama, his partner. His man. "The air feels so much cleaner."

"It smells cleaner too. Maybe just being stuck in the cave so long."

"No," the icemake wizard allowed himself a small frown, falling back hard to the reality of their surroundings, their mission, from the clouds he flew through with the dragon. "It was so much heavier, so much thicker before. So evil. What happened?" Gray frowned deeper, for the first time, his thoughts really returning to the danger of the mission. "For that matter, how come we were safe in that cave for so long? Don't you think that that demon would have tracked after us?"

Though, Natsu remained silent as they started to walk. The anger flicked a switch inside of him. And he felt his blood boiling at the thought of that fiery monster with his burning mane of hair framing those hollow soul-sucking black eyes. He was going to wring that demon's neck until he got the satisfaction of seeing those eyes roll back into his skull. Then he'd keep squeezing, tightening his grip until his damn head popped right off. The air around him sizzled and popped with the heat that was beginning to radiate his fury.

The fire next to Gray was growing with each step they took, almost becoming unbearable. The heat was smart against his skin, and he was just about to make some snappy remark to the dragon who held his heart when they stepped over a ridgeline. Or . . . what Gray thought was a ridgeline, but was really just the edge of an enormous bowl of earth. They both stopped at its edge, staring down into the hollow center hundreds of feet below. "Gods, Natsu! What the hell happened? The entire mountain! Did it erupt or something!?" The peak had exploded, its spine imploding deep down into the hard shell of ground, a desolated crater at the top of the mountain. Gray blinked, staring unbelievably at the desolation. The peak had stretched on at least another four hundred feet above his head. He remembered charging up its steep jagged side on his icy charger, desperately sprinting to Natsu's side.

"There's something shining down there. Smell's weird."

Craning his neck, Gray tilted with the whirling spin of vertigo that swept at him for looking down at the abyss spanning below their feet. Despite the distance, and the acrid smoke which waved off the rock with dark abandon, there was a small glint in the center of the massive rocky crater. How could Natsu smell that? He shook his head. A small smile played on his lips and he tugged his dragon with him over the edge and down the slippery side of the bowl.

"Man, it looks like this rock was melted. See how smooth it is? Had to be some unbelievable heat to do that to so much rock." Something Gray could still feel at the soles of his feet. If it hadn't been for the constant stream of cool mist he kept at their feet, his boots would have melted into the molten rock. The steam washed up him like a steaming oppressive heat bath. But, in his hand, he held something far hotter. And with him by his side, no other fire could dare come near his intensity.

It took hours for them to scale down the crater's side, over the unsteady and treacherous footing, to finally reach the epicenter of the blast. Gray stared dumbfounded at the man-sized crystal of vibrant ruby red which shone a coursing light upon a gold dais. At its tip, a boy stood, balanced delicately on the needle point, no more than twelve years old. His small innocent face was bathed in golden light, framed in pure white strands. The innocence of his cheeky smile was only offset by the consuming disks of white that were his eyes. He looked so akin to Mavis, Mavis' sister. Gray raised his free right hand, staring at the gold triangle which burned on the back of his pale skin bright and fierce. Courage.

"There you are!"

Gray's fingers tightened with Natsu's. The small boy's voice was chilling. Cutting like a keen dagger's edge. It was light and airy, yet deeply resonant in his skull. It sounded as if it were but an imitation of a human's voice.

The boy hopped down from the crystal's height, and yet hovered, his small feet shimmering inches above the burning ground. He jabbed out a finger at Natsu, his brow accusing. "You blew up my mountain!"

"Natsu?" Gray blinked, turning a little to look at the dragon who was tensed and ready for combat. Natsu blew up . . . "You did this?"

"I don't know," the fire dragon hissed out between tight fangs. His fierce gaze drilled into the shining golden boy.

"What do you mean you don't know?" The boy threw his hands into the air, shaking his head, before he brought them down to his delicate hip. His body crooked at an odd angle as he leaned his chest forward. His shoulders tilted with his chin. "You went berserk."

"Natsu?"

"I don't remember."

"What do you mean you don't remember?"

Natsu jerked his head in small motions. "I can't remember what happened since you got hurt. After seeing you torn apart by that demon, the next thing I remember is sealing the cave in."

A small chilling cutting laugh escaped from the shining golden boy. His small shoulders bounced. "You don't remember! Man, that is too priceless!" He hopped down from his floating perch, his foot meeting the smoking rock beneath him. "Let me fill you in then. After Ignis – the fire demon - attacked the raven-haired one there, you just freakin' exploded. I've never seen so much power. You roared like a friggin' beast, and as you roared to the sky, fire completely encompassed you, then you blasted my entire mountain apart!"

Natsu did this? Gray glanced around again at the desolation of the crater. The entire mountain?

"It's kind of sweet I guess . . . if you didn't destroy my home, how you reacted when he got hurt. It was like your emotions completely released in one go."

At that, the icemake wizard couldn't help but smile. He rubbed his icemake thumb over Natsu's knuckles lovingly.

"Your home?" Natsu almost growled. He still hadn't eased from his tensed battle-readiness. The boy was just off to all his senses. He was false, just wrong. "Who – what are you?"

"Ah, dreamy ice-boy here didn't explain it to you? I'm Fairy Tail's own Mavis' brother. One of three guardians of this land. Well four, but Mavis left after all. I am the spirit of fire and sky." The boy bent at the waist, trailing a hand through the air in an attempt at a fancy bow. "Igna is my name."

"Gray, what's he talking about?"

"I – I don't know. I mean . . . after we killed that snake demon thing in the forest I met a girl like this boy who claimed to be Mavis' sister. She said something about guardians of light, but I don't know what she meant."

The boy cocked his head to the side. "Well, that's just like Sera isn't it. Sends you on your way without so much as an explanation. Some big sister she his, hmph. Let me guess, she talked in a lot of riddles didn't she and you ended up more confused at the end than you were before she started?" At the look on Gray's face, Inga laughed, "yup, that's Sera all over. Well, I'll tell you straight out then. I am Ignis."

Gray frowned. "You said Ignis was the demon."

"He was. I was. It was my fault"

Before Gray could spin that thought through his head, Natsu hand let go of his. And before he could so much as give voice to his confusion, the dragon lunged forward. Fire balled in his fist, writhing behind it as it smacked squarely in the center of the boy's face. Gray lunged at Natsu, wrapping around him, and digging his heels into the ground to hold him back as the boy somersaulted back through the air. His golden form crashed back into the ground.

Slowly, he pushed himself upright, rubbing his small angled jaw while the dragon was barely restrained in front of him. Sighing, he shook his head. "I guess I deserved that." The amusement and joy fell away from the boy leaving behind pain and a quiet somber mask. He stepped forward, his golden fingertips trailing up to caress Natsu's jawline below snarling fangs. "I have caused you a great deal of pain, dragon. I am sorry."

"Fuck you."

The boy's hollow white eyes flicked to Gray behind Natsu's shaking muscular shoulder. "I am sorry. But, you two are our only hope. When Mavis left us, she left an opening in the light. Our world was unbalanced and it was in that weakened state that we were consumed by an unknown darkness. He took us each, swallowed us whole. He's a demon beyond measure. And we couldn't hold up. Slowly, we fell.

First it was my brother, Aquarion, the eldest of us four. Sera and I watched as he succumbed to the darkness. We were helpless to stop the evil as it turned him. Each day grew darker. You see, we are the guardians of light. We hold the darkness at bay, but when Aquarion fell to the overwhelming corruption of the darkness' power, we, and this land with us were doomed. It wasn't long before I fell. The darkness, I couldn't fight against its might. It twisted me into the form of Ignis."

"Gray, I think we should leave these weaklings to their doom and head home then. It's their fault for letting this happen."

The boy's white eyes flicked back to Natsu's for a heartbeat, "the darkness is not bounded by geography, dragon. It will spread. Every day, the demon drains more of the light from this land and he grows stronger still in the shadows. He will have Fiori in his clutches next."

Natsu growled.

Letting out a breath, Igna stared at Gray. "You must listen to me. Seek out my eldest brother. You must free him. Now, as we are, Sera may give light to the earth again and I to the sky, but without the core of life we are – all of us – doomed. At the center of Hyliariad – that is the name of this land – you will find a great lake. That is the home of my brother. Seek him out and free him and together, the three of us may give you the strength to destroy the darkness."

Turning his attention back to Natsu, he pointed a single golden fingertip to the dragon's brow. Where it met his tan skin, it glowed brilliantly. "Listen, and listen well, fierce dragon. You have the power within you for great destruction, yet it is the love that beats in your heart that will be your most powerful strength. You have with you now something that grounds you in a way you have never known. Treasure that bond and let it become your reason, for if you lose sight one day of what it means to be alive, you will bring more destruction to the world than even the shadow upon this land. I give you now the intelligence to never let go of what you never knew you needed."

Natsu stared hard at the golden boy's white eyes, just as his palm seared. As the boy's body disappeared, fading away into the air, the back of his hand burned. Igna firmly nodded at them, smiling boyishly as he completely disappeared. Behind where he stood the ruby crystal thrummed with life, its core pulsing with a burning light.

And Gray let out a pent up breath. "Gods, Natsu, don't fly off the handle like that!"

"Sorry," Natsu softly mumbled, gripping the strong forearm over his chest, grounding himself again. On the back of his palm, a single golden triangle shone brilliantly. "He was –"

"I know," Gray propped his chin on the dragon's shoulder, rubbing his cheek against Natsu's. "If anyone ever hurt you, I wouldn't have stopped until I killed them. But," Gray stretched back a little and looked around at the crater, "you destroyed an entire mountain, flame-brain!"

Grinning, Natsu turned within Gray's embrace. He brought his palms up to frame the strong and yet fair pale face. Leaning in, he took Gray's lips with his, wanting it, needing it. He pulled Gray in deeper, allowing himself to be completely vulnerable to only that one person. There was one man who would ever see him like this. And he was in his arms.

As one combined soul, they climbed out of the miles of crater walls. At its rim, a soft brilliant wind brushed passed them. They both smiled at its embrace on their skin. Gray just silently thanked the gods for being out of that heat-bowl. There was really only one person that was worth being surrounded in that kind of heat for. Gray squeezed his dragon's hand. He looked out over the forest spanning below the mountain's sturdy sloping roots. "So what do you want to do?"

Sighing, Natsu scanned the horizon. "Head west. That's where the lake is. Can just make out the smell of the tainted water from here. We'll follow the streams back to it."

"You are going to do what he wanted?"

"Not because he wanted it," Natsu huphed, "because this land is in pain and some evil is causing it. And we can stop it." He hugged Gray to his side, holding his hand at Gray's hip. "And you know, I don't need him to tell me to never let go of the love I've found."

The sun was drifting past its zenith, shining high overhead. It bathed the two men in a warm light as they kissed upon the mountain's edge.

As Gray closed his eyes to the fiery embrace, a gilded light tone filled his head.

"There is land bathed in light between here and the water's edge. Seek it out and take the time to treasure what you have. Without it, fighting this darkness would be meaningless." Igna's laughter trailed off in the wind. Gray's eyes popped open, but Natsu remained deep in their embrace, tugging him in with his burning lips. Gray smiled, closing his eyes again. He drifted away with the light of the fire burning brightly within Natsu's beating heart.

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Desire of a Dragon**


	13. Desire of a Dragon

****Warning: This is an M rated story and should only be read by mature adults of legal age. This story contains explicit sexual context and is not meant for underage eyes. If you are underage and continue anyway, it is not the responsibility of either this forum or the author.****

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Desire of a Dragon**

The land bathed in light, as Igna had guided them, was confusing Gray just as much as it delighted him and his partner. Natsu laughed merrily, dunking in and out of the boiling hot water, enjoying the scalding water's embrace sizzling upon his bare skin. He surfaced on his back, smiling brilliantly as he shot a stream of water fountaining past his lips.

He was the most beautiful fountain Gray had ever scene. The great sculptors of Fiori couldn't have come close to the majestic yet primally powerful set of the fire dragon in the steaming hot natural spring. The steam coiled around his glistening wet muscles, drawing at Gray the most sinfully tantalizing of images. Underneath Gray's cool shell hot blood coursed through his system at just the sight of the burning hot man.

But he also looked around the small clearing, to the amethyst flames dancing at the tips of wooden poles around its circumference. Gray sat back against the wooden picnic-like table, popping a handful of the sweetest and darkest red grapes he had every had into his mouth. The sugary taste was too amazingly sweet. After weeks of dried meet, herbs, and scrounged forest floor berries, the feast that had been laid out on that table was nearly as pulling as the naked pink-haired savagely wild and beautiful man laughing as he weaved through the surface of the water.

How many times during their mission had Gray dreamt of the overflowing feast in that clearing that resembled the one he now sat in oh so closely? The one where they spent their first night in this tainted land. They were strange places.

He dropped his metallic mug, frowning a little at the absence of the sweet amber mead he had been drinking. If only he had but one more sip of the sweet spirit.

Gray blinked, shifted to find another great stout of the raspberry lined alcohol. As if every wish were graced. A strange place indeed. But, he smiled warmly as he took a long sip from the new mug. Natsu's fangs shone white and brilliant, cast in an ethereal light from the purple dancing flames. His sage eyes looked at him with a passion and love that sent a shudder through his system. It had been three weeks since Igna, since the cave. Gray didn't think he would ever get used to that look his lifelong friend and the holder of his heart gave him.

Grabbing a bowl off the table in his icemake arm, he made for the spring in a world all his own. Perfection, underneath a twinkling scrawling sky above, surrounded by evil and despair. But, he placed the bowl at the water's edge, stripping out of his clothes with the speed of a master – the world outside could wait. Because here was something he couldn't have even hoped to have wished for.

"What's that look for?"

"What look?"

"You're looking at me strange."

"Yeah?" Gray's eyelids lowered as he snaked his foot into the water. The burning hot water practically scalded his skin, but it didn't really matter. Natsu could have been in the center of a volcano and Gray would have waded through the lava just the same to reach that fiery dragon. Grabbing him, he snaked his teeth teasingly along the dragon's jaw, before trailing slowly to his burning lips.

Deep in his chest, Gray hummed, at peace in that little land where the light shone. He closed his eyes, letting his whole body drift away with the encompassing coiling heat of the water's embrace. Bringing his hands to Natsu's hips, smooth underneath the water. The touch of the dragon, the way the touch tugged at his heart, making it beat a rocketing cadence in his chest. The man just affected him in ways he could never comprehend.

Natsu pulled back from their long and diving connection. The burning passion in his eyes rolled with the fiery intensity of his love. The corners of his lips winged up as he ran his tongue over them. "Raspberry. Tastes good."

"Yeah, well –"

"Hold on," Natsu snaked his hand up through the back of Gray's raven hair. Water dripped off his skin as his fingers took a firm grip. He pulled them together, crashing their lips. While the first had been long, moving, pulling with deep emotion of a shared intense love, the second kiss was driven by pure need. Pure desire. Natsu smirked, his eyes shining with dangerous flames. "Tastes so good."

Tightening his grip through the silky raven hair, Natsu tugged Gray's head back to reveal his throat. Natsu bared his fangs, taking to his vulnerable prey with a passion. His teeth grazed over Gray's neck, nibbling, tugging, teasing.

Gray moaned, closing his eyes to the tingling lightning strikes crashing against his consciousness. He moaned at the teasing touch over his neck. "Na – tsu."

Grinning wide, Natsu snaked out his tongue between his fangs, becoming quickly overwhelmed in the taste of the icemake wizard. The sultry, salty taste. It set his blood on fire. "Gods, I love hearing you say my name."

With a cocky grin on his lips, Gray opened his eyes to stare directly into the roiling sage of those dragon's eyes. "Natsu."

"Gray, I'm serious, I'm not going to be able to control myself if –"

"Natsu," his eyes lowered, teasing. Needing.

"Gray."

He snaked his hand up from the boiling hot water to trace his thumb lightly down Natsu's cheek. "Natsu, I love you so much. Gods, I love you. I need you."

His lip twitching, Natsu lunged at his partner, slamming him against the spring's earthy edge. As he moved, as he took Gray, he couldn't control his body. All he knew was that he needed Gray. His body called to him. It was like an insane craving, an inescapable desire. Biting down lightly on Gray's neck, he snaked his hands up Gray's side, squeezing and massaging the hard trained muscle.

Gray moaned lustily. His breath was thick and heavy as those large strong hands moved against his skin. He smiled in absolute bliss – a carnal, animal lust filled bliss, but bliss all the same. With his hand hooked at the crook of Natsu's leg against his hip – he had lost all control, his icemake arm dissolving with the heat of the water – Gray pushed himself up, settling his knees on either side of Natsu's waist.

Their eyes met with a shared need. Love filled and pure with a passionate desire. Gray shuddered as he felt Natsu's excitement against his, even as the dragon left hundreds of love bites across his neck, down over his collar bone, tracing to the line of his good shoulder, and down. He sucked in a sudden breath. The teeth nibbled down over his pecs, alternating between loving kissing pecks with his hot sizzling lips against Gray's skin and small teasing bites that caused Gray's body to cease and start, overwhelmed with sensation.

Dropping his head in defeat against the wild man's passion, Gray kissed lovingly along the side of Natsu's strong neck. Just as his hand wrapped around both of them underneath the water's boiling surface. The dragon moaned at his touch. The vibrations from his throaty hum tingled against Gray's chest. Between them, Natsu thrusted against Gray, rubbing against his touch.

In his palm, Gray couldn't tell if it was him or Natsu that was straining so hard, pulsing with the thundering of their shared heartbeat. He smiled, lost, as he slipped into the edges of sweet oblivion. His hand worked up and down over them, pressing their need together, driving him quickly to the edge. Who was he kidding? It was both of them.

"Gray," Natsu ended his relentless teasing on his partner's hard chest and dived deep into the sparklingly clear blue ocean pools. He kissed him, roughly, but sinking in, tenderly caressing his lips. "I love you, Gray. Gods, I love you so much."

Shuddering as the words reached his ears, Gray's body shook driving over the precipice and erupting as the need overcame him. And he surrendered.

Natsu wasn't far behind him. Gray sat on Natsu's lap, facing him. His eyes were hazy. He was slipping already into the sweet release from the world. His chest still thundered, his breaths hot and heavy. But they wrapped their arms around one another, holding tight. They both rested their drifting and weary chins on the other's shoulder. They were content just to sit, drifting underneath the starlight in eachother's arms.

"Mmm, come on, let's get out."

"Just a little longer."

"Natsu, the water is actually boiling, I'm gunna burn up if we stay in here."

"The water?"

"Idiot, you put off so much heat."

Natsu drew their lips together, taking Gray in an embrace he had come to need more than the breath in his lungs. He smirked. "You make me hot."

"Heh, come on."

"One condition."

"Yeah? And what is that?"

"We'll get out but you can't put your clothes on."

"Oh?" Gray laughed, still a little sleepy, high on the drifting cloud nine. " 'Counter-condition."

"Yeah, I won't put anything on either, then."

Gray grinned foolishly, happily. Gods he had never been so happy. "Deal."

Natsu stepped out, cocking his brow as he twisted to look back at Gray. "Yes?"

"Well its just such a beautiful ass. Smooth and firm, yet round and . . ." Gray's smile tugged a little, he tilted his head. "You don't have any tan lines. Your butt is the same hot tan . . . do you full body tan?"

Natsu rolled his eyes, snorting.

"Wha-when!? Where the hell was I?"

"Idiot," Natsu offered a hand and when Gray took it, he tugged Gray out of the water. Though he continued to pull, sweeping his free arm underneath Gray's legs as they breached the water. He brought him up, cradling him in his arms, and winked at the love of his life. "Doesn't matter, and besides," Natsu dropped him to his feet, reaching around and taking a healthy handful of one of the smooth round globes behind Gray. "This is without a doubt the most beautiful ass."

"Hmph." Gray shook his head, but he couldn't hide the wide grin on his lips. "You're an idiot."

"Yeah, and you are too!"

"Mmm, yeah, I have to be to have fallen in love with someone like you."

"Ohhh?" he tucked Gray's chin up with a gentle touch. He looked deep into those blue pools, shining with the purple flames around them. "And what does that make me?"

"A hot ass. Oh, stop smirking."

"I guess I'll settle for that." He chuckled. "Hey, what's this? Cherries?" Natsu cocked a brow, bending in half to pick up the bowl Gray had brought to the water's edge.

"Yeah," Gray's cheeks were burning. Flushed. He took it as a sign that he was in the hot water too long. "This place. It got me thinking about our first night here."

"Cherries, though?"

"You don't remember? I refused to eat and you took a cherry . . ."

A wide smile spread Natsu's face. "Ah, yeah now I remember." Not that he could really have forgotten. That night was when it really all began. With the taste of Gray, the feel of the lips as he stole a kiss, it changed something inside of him. Some switch had been thrown. It had sparked the dreams. And, well, he knew perfectly well what happened then. His hand ran absently over his partner's side.

"I couldn't believe what happened. I'd dreamed so long about being with you and then suddenly I felt your lips. I just . . ."

Natsu took his lips, smiling. "You're so cute." He picked out a plump dark red cherry, popping it between Gray's lips. Replacing his lips past it, they shared the sugary sweet fruit. "Come here," Natsu tugged Gray behind him back to the center of the grassy clearing, his tan toned skin still steaming with the heat of the spring. Pulling Gray into a deep drawing kiss, Natsu teased his fingers lightly back through the wet silky raven hair. Gods, he was so beautiful. "I want to make love to you."

"Natsu, we just did!"

He shook his head. "We just had sex. I want to make _love._ "

"Hmm, who knew Natsu Dragneel, the hotheaded fiery destructive mage was such a romantic?

"I can be romantic, when it comes to being with the perfect guy."

Gray's chest fluttered. "Gods."

"Now if only we had some, ah!" Natsu reached down into the grass where a small glass container with a thick clear liquid inside appeared. "I can really get used to this whole wish thing in this place."

"What do you have?"

"Mmm. Though I wanted," another, much larger glass appeared with Natsu's smile. "Ah, there we go!"

Gray dipped a finger into the glass. It came out slick with the thick, viscous clear liquid. "Is this what I think it is?"

"Well, yeah, we can't exactly do it without lube, right? I know that much. I don't want it to be painful for you."

Gray blinked. "For me? What makes you think I would have been the one in pain?"

Natsu raised a brow. "You really think you were going to be the . . . what is it called, the top?"

"Uhh." Gray's face was on fire. "I never really . . . I don't really care I guess."

"Good," Natsu dipped his finger into the glass, rubbing the slippery lube between his thumb and forefinger. "So, how do I do this?"

"Huh?" Gray brought his fist up over his lips. He couldn't contain the chuckle.

"What!? I've never done this with a guy before!"

"Gods, you're so cute. 'Kay, I guess . . . I'll walk you through it then."

"You're enjoying this aren't you?"

"Are you kidding? The hotheaded flame-brain completely unsure how to have anal sex and yet he proclaims he wants to make love and he has a desire pure enough to summon up friggin' glasses of lube. Do I really seem like the kind of guy to find amusement in that?"

"Yeah," Natsu tugged Gray's bottom lip between his teeth until he heard a quivering lust filled moan escape him. "Yeah, I think you do."

"Y-h-ahh-mmmmm," whatever snappy comeback was on the tip of his tongue slipped away with the smokey kiss. "Okay," Gray shook his head a little, "I'll take it this time, but you know, you're going to have to too."

"Yeah, I like that. Kinda equal. That's us, babe, we're equal in everything."

"Gods, did you just call me babe?" Oh gods. It sent a jolting shiver down his spine, reverberating through his limbs.

"Mmhmm," Natsu kissed him, long, slow, and romantically. It wasn't sexual, but it burned with the love coursing through his heart.

"Loosen me up."

"Eh?" Natsu blinked.

Gray's voice dropped, full of lust, and suddenly serious. "You need to loosen me up." Grabbing Natsu's hand at the wrist, he twisted it behind him, guiding him down to his butt. Gods, he longed for this. He needed this.

"H-how?" Natsu blinked again, his cheeks turning a hot pink.

"One finger," Gray separated Natsu's forefinger, covered in lube and guided it to him.

As Natsu's finger slid inside of him, Gray moaned, his eyes going starry. The burning touch. Gods, it was so hot. He continued to guide Natsu, showing him how to work around his entrance, loosening his ring so that he could put in another finger, then another. He panted, burying his face into Natsu's shoulder. He would have crumbled to the ground if it weren't for Natsu supporting him. His mouth open, he felt the saliva dripping off the corner of his lips.

"Oh, gods, Natsu. Now," he panted heavily.

"I got it from here," Natsu murmured with a soft smirk. Gently, he guided Gray down onto the grass. He stood up, looking down at him just for a second. So hot. So beautiful. Gray looked up at him with a lusty need in his blue eyes, begging him. "You're so beautiful." Lubing up his dick, Natsu dropped to his knees. Gray, gods, he was like a fallen angel, lying, filled with desire and sultry lust, squirming with the grass at his back. He grabbed Gray's hips, hitching them up.

Gray panted, hot breath escaping his lips underneath pleading eyes. "Hurry."

Lightly, his fingers traced back through Gray's raven locks. "I love you so much, Gray." Hooking his hands underneath Gray's knees, he pulled them up and apart. Gray's entrance, it winked, waiting for him, inviting him. Luring him. He lined himself up with Gray. "Gray."

"Mmmm?"

"Gray, look at me."

At his soft command, Gray's eyes parted, and he looked with such need up at Natsu.

"Gray, I love you." Bending down, he took Gray's lips softly with his, just as he drove into Gray. Together, they sucked in a sudden breath. It hissed in through his teeth. So tight, so warm. "Oh, gods, Gray you feel so fuckin' good!"

Gray moaned, lost. Drool dripped down the corner of his mouth, his eyes closed. He grabbed at the grass with his hand, digging his fingers into the earth. Natsu filled him. Hot. So fucking hot. It filled him, filling a void. Natsu, gods, he was the piece missing in Gray's life.

"I'm inside you, Gray. You're all around me, taking me in. Gods, you are so hot, Gray." The dragon inside of him was roaring. It reared back, spreading its massive wings wide. Love filled his entire body with a burning fire. When he buried himself all the way into Gray, Natsu planted the heels of his hands in the grass to either side of Gray's head. His chest rolled with the growl that vibrated in his throat as he pulled back, thrusting back into Gray. His hips met Gray's cheeks with a fleshy slap. "I love you, Gray." He couldn't stop saying it.

Tears welled in Gray's eyes as the dragon took him for all he was. All his power. All his strength. All the fire. The heat. The passion.

The love.

It wrapped around Gray, filling him until he was sure he would burst. He would die happily, just slip off the mortal world with no regrets. But the dragon wouldn't let him go. He held on with a grip that said what words could only have cheaply imitated. He looked up at those burning emerald eyes. Those gems of life met him as Natsu's fiery lips met his.

He would never let go.

* * *

 **Next Chapter: A Temple Under the Sea**


	14. A Temple Under the Sea

**Chapter 14: A Temple Under the Sea**

Cooling the hot steaming tea with a breath, Gray sat on the wooden picnic tabletop, a wide smile cresting his lips. Taking in a long draught of the sweet inviting scent of the tea in his mug. English Breakfast black tea leaves, gods, he'd almost forgotten the deep rich taste. How long had they been away from home? How long had they been in this twisted land? He frowned. It had to have been months. Gray couldn't quite recall.

So much had happened, it might as well have been years. Flexing his icemake arm, he pursed his lips thinking about the entire adventure. Lost an arm. Nearly died. But all of that paled in comparison to the biggest change in his life. He lay sprawled out on the grass, his long wild pink mane in disarray against the fresh shining grass. A smile graced his red lips, before they worked in silent words slipping in and out of his dream world. Every now and then small jetting flames licked over his inviting lips.

This world, Gray thought, was the dream. He took another long sip through the coiling white steam coming off his mug. On the grass, Natsu murmured something sleepily, but Gray cocked his head, smiling, as he heard his name come from the sleeping dragon's lips.

Today was the day that they would leave this little land of peace within the twistedness of the corrupted world. They agreed ahead of time how long they would stay, and the week had already slipped through his fingers, a free-flowing white-rapid river. If they hadn't, Gray knew, they would have stayed forever. The images of the savage evil to come flashed in his mind, but he forced them away as he took another sip.

He still had one morning before they had to worry about any of that. And he would spend it exactly the same way as he had spent every other morning in that week in paradise. He took a sip of his tea, and as the warm rich drink slid past his tongue, he just watched Natsu sleep. The flame-brain was a damn heavy sleeper he had found, snoring that would trump an army of chainsaws. But, Gray found it so endearing. The terrifyingly powerful fire dragon slept the same way he had as a kid, holding the same blissful face that he had all through childhood. Though now, he was completely naked.

His hot body, perfectly cut and defined with muscles earned through years of intense training and battles. Gods, Gray drank the last of his tea, shaking his head slowly to himself. He just didn't get tired of looking at that sight. The perfectly tan smooth skin over hard rounded pecs, down a strong taper from bouldering shoulders to a thinner v-cut waist. Then the part of Natsu he had become oh so acquainted with during the last week. He grinned, twisting to place the mug on the picnic table beside him.

Well, he stepped down, stretching with his palms in the small of his back. It was time to get ready. His pack was all but decimated from the battles, and from the long tumble down the mountainside. He bit his lip, examining the broken metal of the frame jutting out from three corners. It was barely holding together, and - Gray recalled the trip from the mountaintop – it was a pain in the ass to hike with. Literally. One of the metal bars of the frame broke free and no matter how he tried to tie it back, it stabbed him, jabbing him in the ass as he walked.

And, he mused, if it wasn't Natsu, it just wasn't worth it. Crouching over it, Gray scratched his head. No helping it, he would just have to try and fasten a makeshift pack. But, the grass beside him shimmered, and he grinned wide as a beautiful water-proof and contour-framed pack materialized. Well, that just left repacking then.

Fishing into his broken pile of worn and tattered canvas pack, Gray ran his tongue over his lip, unable to help the painfully wide smile. Damn, he had been smiling so much lately. But, he just couldn't help it. Carefully, he separated the warm white cloth, extracting it from his pack. Burying his face into the scaly scarf, Gray drifted along with the fiery scent buried in the fabric. Pine, crackling campfires, and the subtle lines of rustic eucalyptus. He wrapped it around his neck. Gods, with the scent surrounding him, it was like being tightly wrapped up in the dragon's arms all day.

Strong arms snaked around his naked torso, a hot sultry kiss pulling at the back of his neck, just underneath the scarf. Gray closed his eyes, drifting away into the fiery sensation. The burning desire that he could never have fought against. The world without Natsu by his side, it seemed so far away, burned and consumed by the fire of the amazing man. Was there life before Natsu? Gray moaned, dropping his head. "Good morning."

"Good morning, babe." Natsu whispered, soft and deep in Gray's ear. His hot breath brushed teasingly over his ear, sending shuddering shivers down his spine. And Natsu buried his chin in the scarf, resting it over Gray's shoulder. He squeezed his arms tighter pulling Gray into him. "So today's the day then."

"Yeah . . ."

"Mmm, sucks. Could stay with you here forever."

"Me too."

"Well once we finish this mission, we can spend everyday like this when we get back to Fairy Tail. No responsibility. Nothing. Just us."

"Sounds nice," Gray smiled. There had been a silent agreement between them not to bring up the danger that lay ahead. Ignus, the evil and overwhelmingly vile corruption of the spirit Igna, had nearly killed Gray. Had overwhelmed Natsu. And if what Igna had said was true, it was but a passing corruption by a force so evil that it left such terrifying horror in its wake. Both of them held the nagging painful thoughts deep within them. This was probably a one-way mission. There was no going home. They would just treasure what they had, together in eachother's arms.

"Hmm. New pack. I need a new pack too." And Natsu bumped his brows as another carbon-fiber framed pack appeared next to Gray's.

"That's a really big pack," Gray cocked a brow, turning a questioning glance to Natsu before he really began his morning and took the fiery dragon in a long embracing kiss. "Seriously, that's gotta be like twice the size of your old pack."

"Well, I've got a lot to carry."

"What are you talking about?" But, he blinked as the grass shimmered. He rolled his eyes, just as his cheeks burned. 5 tall bottles filled with clear viscous lube.

"Well," Natsu smiled nonchalantly, as he tucked a bottle into the pack. "I don't exactly know how long we are going to be out here, and who knows when the next time we'll be able to find some of this."

Gray rubbed his face in his palm. "We are going to be hiking into a life-threatening, dangerous area with an evil that I can't even imagine and you're packing bottles and bottles of lube."

"Yup!" Natsu replied chipperly, bouncing his head happily.

"Mmhmm, and what are we supposed to do about the mess. Can't very well clean out and up while we are in the forest.

Natsu paused, holding on to the neck of the last tall clear plastic bottle. "Melt your ice into water." A bottle with a long thin nozzle appeared on the grass, Natsu grinned.

Scoffing, Gray shook his head, though his lips bent in a smile. "Idiot."

Before the sun had barely risen into the sky, the two set out, forsaking paradise at their backs and heading into the darkness. With each day that passed, darkness swallowed the world around the two Fairy Tail mages. The trees around them, sickly, and twisted, leaned in around them as they walked, looking at any moment to grab them in their thick gnarled branches and swallow them into the earth. Light itself seemed to drain away into the murky shadowy depth of the dying forest.

By the second week they could only move with the bobbing and dancing red spotlight flame Natsu had summoned. And by the fourth week, even the light coming off of his fiery red light did little. Its breath seemed to die in the forest's grasp.

Gray cursed, his foot catching a gnarled root twisted over the forest's floor. He flew forward until fiery hands grabbed him, holding him up. "Ugh, I feel sick. I can't breath." He leaned heavily against Natsu, panting for breath. A cold sweat creeped over his brow.

Tugging at his scarf around Gray's neck, he pulled it up and over Gray's nose. "Breath through the scarf." Natsu held Gray close to him, supporting him with a hand wrapped around his waist. "The air's too thick and heavy," and, he wrinkled his nose. It smelled awful. Putrid.

"Ughh, how come you are fine?" Gray turned burying himself into Natsu's neck.

"Because I'm not as weak as you." When that failed to get a rise out his partner, Natsu swore internally. Gray just mumbled, leaning his entire weight against Natsu's side. The fact was that the air was getting to him. A drilling headache clamped his skull. His chest felt heavy, his lungs thick with the poisonous air. He sidled Gray closer to him, squeezing his hip.

Looking down at Gray's pale face, his eyes closed, head hanging loose. His raven hair stuck to the cold perspiration on his brown. With a light touch, he swept the raven locks up. They weren't going to last much longer in the forest. Each step was becoming harder and harder to take, the soles of his boots stuck to the thick coiling ground. The stupid golden boy bastard, Igna, had said the patch of protected ground was halfway between the mountain and the lake. It had taken three weeks to get there, he thought sullenly, forcing his heavy legs to trudge forward, supporting Gray with each step. It had been nearly five weeks since they had left the wonderful paradise.

Or at least, Natsu thought it had been five weeks. There was no way to be sure. It had been three weeks since he saw the stars twinkling overhead. Then the forest consumed the sun as well. And they were left in eternal darkness, the writhing trees wrapping all around them in a hallowed succubus lover's embrace.

A creaky wooden rustle caused Natsu to jerk, whipping around, searching the darkness. He growled. They had to be close to the end. Shrugging Gray's good arm from around his shoulders, Natsu swept out his legs, carrying him close to body. Gray groaned, twisting in Natsu's arms until he buried his head against the fire dragon's hot smooth chest underneath his vest.

They had to be close. Either way, Natsu shifted Gray, balancing him better. Either way, they couldn't last another day. Flames cracked around them, burning at the twisting trees. Surrounding them in a cocoon of writing, burning fury pouring from Natsu heart, he dug into the ground. Kicking off hard, he worked himself into a run, sprinting through the forest, cradling Gray tight against his chest. The fire turned everything around them to ash. A barren path cleared through the forest as he sprinted, barreling through the dying sickly trees.

He didn't know how long he ran, his legs burning from carrying both of their weight, including their bulky packs. His lungs felt ladened with lead, weighing him down. He could barely breath. He took shallow breaths, his vision sparking with purple flares against the wall of whipping red flame in front of him.

Suddenly, that too disappeared, and Natsu collapsed onto his knees. He looked down at Gray, barely able to see through the darkness' clutch. His pale skin. Images of him blasted apart by Ignus flashed through his mind. The cave, where he had seen Gray even paler than this. He couldn't see that again. Forcing himself to his feet, Natsu bared his fangs in a fierce snarl. He set his gaze on the black wall of nothingness in front of him. And he forced his foot to slide forward.

He tumbled through the dark wall, tripping on a thin branch just an inch off the ground. Natsu had felt his toe tap against it, but he just didn't have the strength left to lift his foot over the root. His vision sparked as he fell. Slamming into the ground, Gray rolled away, out of his arms. He reached out his hand, cursing himself. But, he blinked slowly. He saw a wide stretching lake, spanning out into the horizon, shining like glass underneath a wide open starlight sky. He squinted, before the world tilted, and he slid out of consciousness.

Groaning, Natsu's eyes creaked open. "Graaay?"

"I'm right here."

Natsu sighed when he felt the hand take his. Relief washed over him like a clear ocean's kiss. It cleansed him. He looked up, his lip twitching. "Hey, babe."

"Hey." Gray smiled softly, brushing his fingers over Natsu's brow. He weaved them back through his long pink man. "Pushed yourself too far again, idiot."

"Mmm."

"That's twice now you saved my life."

"-ove oo."

"I know, shh, just sleep." Gray hugged him, tucking the fiery mane under his chin. "I love you too, Natsu." He squeezed him in a wrapping hug, and he gazed out over the still water's surface. It was shining, mirror-like, casting the stars upon the ground in a celestial touch on the earth all around them. The water glassed out as far as the eye could see, a dark stretching abyss.

Frowning, Gray looked out over the ominous water's shell. A spinning fireball raced across it, shining beacon-like over the sea. As it passed the large bowl's center, spires of an ancient stone building's castle were illuminated by the fire's piercing light through the depths. Everything was silent as Gray sat at the water's edge, hugging Natsu tight to him. He watched as the massive towering stone walls shone under the water.

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Golden Caves**


	15. Golden Caves (Part 1)

Disclaimer: I know it, you know it, but hey, let's say it any way. I do not own any rights or even the smallest piece of Fairy Tail. Let's just take a moment and thank the great Hiro Mashima, without whom we wouldn't have such a fun story and I wouldn't have the chance to try my own writer's hand in a Fairy Tail tale.

* * *

A/N: First, just wanted to apologize for the wait. I've had major writer's block with this story. Hence why this chapter is short, and why it ended up being split in two. Sheesh…

Second,

There's something I feel I must talk about…

Recently I was told by a reader of a story of mine that I made Gray too "feminine." This bothers me for many reasons.

I'll start with the unimportant: I write Gray, Natsu, and the FT characters how I see them. This is **my** view on them. I'll respect different views, but don't tell me I'm wrong.

But more importantly, the use and close-minded ideas behind the term feminine really bother me. It is a very loaded term and does nothing in general but hurt people when used. When referring to a person who identifies as male, it is generally used as a derogatory, calling them weak and emotional…I don't understand this because I know many women who are the strongest and toughest people I know. And then when used against people who identify as female, it's to say they aren't being lady-like…whatever that means.

I do not appreciate and will not stand by while people say things that purposefully or inadvertently hurt others.

Can a man be emotional, caring, loving, shy? Of course and he is still a man if that is how he identifies. Can a woman be a strong, iron-headed, take-no-crap kind of person? Of course, and she is still a woman if that's how she identifies!

Notice I say if that's how they identify. Because that's all that is important! The only thing that matters is who they are and how they see themselves.

Do not impose rigid stereotypical norms on others. They are the cause of a lot of pain and are one of the most emotionally scarring, depression leading, and suicide causing things you can do. If a boy or girl doesn't fit your expected norm, celebrate it, don't chide it, using terms to cut at the person at who they are.

Femininity is not a thing - neither is masculinity. They are concepts which have been so twisted by societal images that they are not helpful as terms today. I never want to hear that a man is being too feminine or not masculine enough. And I never want to hear a woman, the like.

I personally felt stung by this reader's comments and while trying to explain how hurtful their choice of words can be, they continued to say that Gray was too feminine...

I put a lot of myself into my characters. They are not, by intent and design, going to be Hiro's exact characters. But calling Gray feminine honestly pissed me off. It directly attacked myself as a gay man (who I guarantee can say I know how hurtful the term feminine can be). I am not the gay stereotype as you may see it, but I have close friends and have dated awesome guys who you may say are. To attack these qualities because they don't fit your image of a man and an awesome character like Gray cuts at myself and these people close to me. We are all humans, we all have the same emotion. Expressing them is a strength, whether you identify as a boy or girl, not a weakness.

If there is ever something you want to discuss with me like character traits I happily welcome it. But come in talking about a trait, such as "I would have liked to see a little more shyness," "or I see him as more assertive." There is room for discussion and I would be happy to get to know your viewpoint. If you come at me with femininity and masculinity the only thing we will talk about is bigotry.

Do not perpetuate hurt. Be careful with the words you choose and the actions you take, they impact others more than you realize.

-Oblivion

* * *

 **Chapter 15: Golden Caves (Part 1)**

"Come on, Natsu. Get away from there. You're freaking me out!"

"But look how deep this thing is! I mean, look," for the tenth time, Natsu's fist popped with a ball of flame. And the twirling fire was sent flying over the massive glassy black lake's surface. As it sped, Natsu stared wide-eyed as the fiery light revealed the expanse of a massive fortress sunken under the crater's bowl of water. Natsu gripped the edge of the rocky cliff at the water's edge. He nearly stuck his nose into the water, his body teetering forward when Gray grabbed him and pulled him back in his arms.

"What's with you?"

"The lake smells good."

Gray craned his neck a little, squinting his eyes. "What the heck are you talking about?"

"It smells good. Come on, let go. I want to go for a swim."

Gray grunted, squeezing Natsu against him as tight as he could. "Natsu, I don't like the feeling of that water. It's cold."

"You're cold."

"No, Natsu, I mean it's almost frozen."

"Yeah, well you're almost frozen," Natsu turned to look at Gray, his eyes smoldering with a sultry green blaze. "And I looooove you." He smirked, his white fangs glinting with the fire that danced over his tank skin. He leaned forward, drawing Gray in with a deep long kiss.

The world of cinnamon and fire lit his heart, but Gray fought against the all-too-tempting desire just to submit to the fiery tempest. It pulled at him, tugging at lines that lay deep within his body.

"Wow, you two are like rabbits, huh?"

Gray froze, his eyes sliding back to find the glowing fiery form of Igna. His golden hair shown with the rays of light beaming from his eerily hollow eyes above a too-white smile. Natsu mumbled, drawing down Gray's neck graze his teeth over Gray's pale skin. "Idiot," Gray grunted, shoving at Natsu. But he couldn't get the dragon off of him. He twisted underneath his pink-haired beau. "Flame-brain! Igna."

"Igna?" Natsu tensed, his entire muscular body seizing above Gray. His ears hitched back as his fangs clenched in a feral snarl. He sprung up, his fists balled, as he straddled Gray prone on the ground. "Bastard."

"Hmm," Igna's child-like mouth twisted in a sly grin. "That snapped him out of it."

"What are you talking about?" Gray grunted, shoving Natsu off of him with his ice-make arm. He patted his pants. Reaching out, he touched his dragon's forearm.

"It's my brother's scent."

"Your brother's – Natsu!" Scrubbing down his face with his palm he watched as the fire dragon leapt and drove his fist covered in a ball of fire straight into Igna's glowing face.

"Fucking bastard."

Igna just smiled as he rubbed his cheek in a small boy's palm. "Down boy," Igna smiled as he drove his tiny balled fist straight down into Natsu's skull. A blast of light exploded as it met the dragon and sent him drilling into the ground.

"Natsu!"

"Bastard," the fire dragon snarled, digging into the soft ashy ground as he pushed himself up.

With a high trilling laugh, Igna shook his head. "You've got some nerve, dragon. I like you."

"I'll still pound your face in."

"Later." His smile dropped as he turned his shining white eyes – hollow to the pupils spilling with light – to Gray. "I don't have much time, it's taking all I have just to stay in form in this darkness. I'll get right to it unless we need to collar and chain the dragon-man first."

"Natsu."

"Hmph." Though he crossed his arms over his chest and sat in the ash, his lips trembled in a growl.

"I came to warn you."

"You couldn't have done that before we went to that forest!" Natsu jumped, but was held back by Gray's restraining hold. "Gray almost died!"

"I'm afraid the darkness has been tainting this land too long. It's seeped into the ground and corrupted the purity of –"

"Don't care."

"Natsu." Gray sighed behind the dragon.

"What? I don't care! There's only one thing I care about right now!" He grabbed a strong grip on Gray's forearm over his chest. "And because of you, I've almost lost him twice!"

Igna's too-wide mirror eyes swiveled between their faces. "You are right. Very well." Holding up one of his small hands, a tiny bird popped into his palm. It spread its wings before letting out a sharp chirp. Around the miniscule body of a jay, light thrummed in glowing radiance. "This is Lux, he will be your guide from here to the entrance of my brother's domain." The jay chirped again, flicking its beak through its golden feathered wings before jumping off its perch and into the air. It glided with its wings outspread on a halo above Igna's head.

The golden boy's eyes locked onto Gray and the icemake wizard winced as the voice sparked directly in his head again. "My older brother is the king of water and ice, but he is also the master of illusion and deceit. The stronger someone feels the easier it will be for my brother to manipulate."

Gray blinked, frowning. _Are we fighting your brother?_

"His corrupted form. As you fought mine and my sister's. I warn you because your boyfriend –"

Gray's cheeks burned as he grinned. Natsu was, wasn't he?

Igna laughed. "Your boyfriend is easily stricken to fight as iron upon an anvil. My brother's strength will use this. On the other hand you are very calm and collected," Igna's eyes shown. "My sister imparted on you the tapping of the wisdom that will be laid bare within you. It will fall to you while you are in my brother's domain. If you falter, the dragon will be doomed. Keep vigilant . . . I wish I could do more." With that, Igna's glowing body shimmered away only leaving behind the tiny sun shining off the jay's chest.

"Gray?"

"I'm fine. Igna was just saying . . . it doesn't matter. Are you okay?"

"Yeah?"

"You were all over me."

"Heh," Natsu rubbed the back of his head, but a wry grin remained on his lips. "I don't know what came over me, but I couldn't help myself. You smelled so good." Though his words touched at jest, his eyes wandered off over the glassy lake. His smile dropped.

"You said the lake smelled good."

"Huh?"

 _Natsu?_ "Just stay by my side."

"Of course, babe." Natsu slid his fingers in with Gray's weaving them together. "Where I belong."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Gray looked up into Natsu's fiery green eyes, frowning.

"Yeah," Natsu sighed, though he gave Gray's hand a squeeze in his. "Gray? What would you say, if I . . ." Natsu let out another, deeper sigh, closing his eyes.

"What's wrong, Natsu?" It wasn't what Igna had said. Gray knew that in his heart. Hell, if there was one thing he knew, it was Natsu. And the guy couldn't be overwhelmed like that. Sure he was a flame-brain, but that fire burned pure. He was remarkably single minded, Gray knew, and that may have just been one of the cutest things about the dangerous pink-maned dragon. But all the same, Natsu had been acting really weird since he had woken up.

"I don't want to do this anymore."

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't want to be here anymore. I don't want to be doing this. It doesn't make any sense. I took this mission because . . ." Natsu shook his head.

"Natsu?" Tucking an icemake finger under the dragon's chin, he tilted the sharp jaw up so he could look directly into the stormy sage eyes.

"I took this mission to get away from you," Natsu blinked, his eyes wavering and watery.

"Get away from me?"

"I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't stand how we were, couldn't stand being ignored by you. But now I've got you all to myself, and this mission just doesn't matter to me, Gray! Don't you get it?" He threw his arms around his icy man. "I can't lose you, Gray. And if we stay here . . ."

"Alright, Natsu." He wove his icemake fingers up through the wild pink mane of hair. "Alright." The golden jay twirled in the air, flipping in a barrel roll to land on Natsu's shoulder. It nuzzled against his cheek with its shining beak. "Here, just sit down." With his arm around Natsu's waist, he guided them both to the ashy ground. And they stared out at the empty glass water.

He wanted to say it would all be okay. But the words didn't come. So, they just stared out at the water. "You know we can't go back, right?"

"Mmm."

"You've never given up before."

"Mmm."

"Are you really going to make me an excuse? Make me the reason the strongest in Fiori – the bull-headed Salamander – didn't hold up to his promise?"

"That's not fair, Gray."

Giving off a high-pitched chirp, Lux jumped into the air. He flipped end of end, performing a figure-eight in front of the fire dragon's nose.

"I think he's trying to cheer you up."

"It's not going to work." Natsu grabbed his knees, tucking his chin over his wrist. "As long as we are here, I feel like I'm going to lose you. I just can't. Not after I just got you."

"There's always going to be danger, Natsu. Hell, we are Fairy Tail mages. It's what we do! I mean, I'm not getting all depressed right now, and I know how much danger we are in. 'Course," Gray added, tilting his head, "I guess that's 'cuz my badass guy is not someone that needs worrying about. He's always taken care of himself and me along with it – no matter what."

"Badass?" Natsu couldn't help the chuckle.

"See, there you go! There he is!" Gray smiled, pecking Natsu on the cheek.

"Idiot."

"Yeah, I'm your idiot. So deal with it! Now, come on, up on your feet. Don't make me comfort you then kick your ass in the same few minutes."

"Idiot," the fire dragon repeated, shaking his head with a small smile as he took Gray's hand and pulled himself up.

Lux chirped again, flipping in the air. It flapped its golden wings, thrumming into the air. Circling overhead twice, it angled and flew off toward the horizon, skimming around the lake's edge.

"Come on, let's go."

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Golden Caves (Part 2)**


	16. Golden Caves (Part 2)

Disclaimer: I know it, you know it, but hey, let's say it any way. I do not own any rights or even the smallest piece of Fairy Tail. Let's just take a moment and thank the great Hiro Mashima, without whom we wouldn't have such a fun story and I wouldn't have the chance to try my own writer's hand in a Fairy Tail tale.

 ****Warning: This is an M rated story and should only be read by mature adults of legal age. This story contains explicit sexual context and is not meant for underage eyes. If you are underage and continue anyway, it is not the responsibility of either this forum or the author.****

* * *

 **Chapter 16: Golden Caves (Part 2)**

"I can't believe we are following one of that coward's creatures."

"Don't be like that, I think he's kinda cute."

Lux chirped merrily, barrel-rolling through the air in front of the two Fairy Tail mages. He doubled back toward them, diving and circling around Gray's head.

"See isn't he cute?"

A whip of flame cracked between Gray and the golden hawk. It snapped in the air, sparks flying. Natsu's lips split revealing his shining white teeth. Flames burned infernos in his green eyes. "Claws off, bird. He's mine."

"I dunno. I'm thinking about shacking up with the bird. He's a cute little guy. I betcha he's got another form like Ignus. Sure he'd be a cute boy made of light."

"That's not funny, Gray."

"Do I sound like I'm joking, flame brain?" Smirking, Gray hooked his hands behind his head, his hips swinging with the swagger of his mood. "Hey, Lux!"

The world around Gray ignited. The temperature skyrocketed to the burning spires of hell, and though it singed his skin, his eyes smarting, watering against the sudden wall of fire, Gray's smirk didn't diminish. Sweat immediately bristled over his bare chest. He rolled his eyes, teasing the corner of his lips with his tongue as he pointed his icemake arm at the fiery pink-maned dragon. There was an advantage, Gray thought, to having a piece of his body already icemake. Extending a cool mist from his fingers, he froze a stream down the dragon's spine.

Natsu hissed, biting at the cold touch to his burning skin. Scowling, he held up his palm toward his icy beau.

Laughing, Gray focused his icemake hand into a shield and dove through the wall of flame surrounding him. Without even thinking, he broke into a sprint. His raven hair whipped past his face just as fireballs raced from behind. Still laughing, he formed a wall of ice at his back a split-second before red flame splashed across its surface. As the intensity of the fireball shattered the wall, Gray rolled, tucked his feet under him and pushed himself into a full sprint again.

Lux dove down, squawking. It cocked its small head at Gray as it circled overhead. Golden wings spread wide. A bolt of flame shot past its tail.

"I'd fly a hell of a lot faster and higher if I were you, Lux."

It chirped in reply, shooting skyward like a fallen star climbing home.

Stealing a glance over his shoulder, he saw his man roiled in flame. Red and orange terror licked up his strong arms. The riptide of air pressure it caused sent his vest whipping over his strong smooth tanned chest. Gray's heart tripped. But then he winced as a fireball shot past within a hairsbreadth of his face. "Hot. Hot. Hot." Gray tore off his pants as fire caught hold of the cotton, jumping into the air as another ball of pure energy splashed beneath his feet, melting the ground into a shining glass bowl.

He glanced back at Natsu again. And he laughed again. "Yeah, definitely hot." He shot a random lance of ice back at the inferno of a man. "Where ya aiming, flame brain!? A two-year-old has better aim than you with his little wee-wee!" Gray continued to laugh, running with all the strength his legs could give. But when he dared to look back over his shoulder again, he gulped. Gray let out a yelp as a dragon crashed into him. They smashed down into the ground, forcing all the air out of Gray's lungs.

He coughed as a strong grip on his shoulder whipped him around to face the stars. But he smiled up at the burning green eyes drilling down into him.

Natsu grinned animalistically, pinning each of Gray's limbs to the ground. "Caught you, ice-prick." Their breaths mixed hot and heavy in the gap between them. The overwhelming heat oppressed down on Gray as a shroud, blanketing out the world. From underneath, Natsu was frozen in place by the blue-eyed demon. They panted. Their hearts pounded.

Their lips crashed together.

Rolling along the lakeside, the two opposites dove into eachother. They took all of the other into themselves. Gray closed his eyes, his mouth agape as hot lips ran down his neck. Liquid fire poured into his veins, though he shivered with icy excitement. Natsu squeezed his man's arms hard, smashing him into the earth as he took him. With his teeth trailing over the deliciously smooth pale skin, he devoured Gray.

Though he was pinned, Gray's lips twitched as he took advantage of having an icemake arm yet again. His fingers extended, trailing up, and sliding over the burning skin of the dragon. The flames that danced just under the fire dragon's skin licked at the ice. Natsu hissed, the ice meeting his skin with a cool white steam. It washed over his pecs, falling like a waterfall down the cut lean muscles, running over his abs like sharp rocks under a river's breath. Gray grazed his icemake fingers over Natsu's nipples.

Above him, the dragon shuddered. His whole body vibrated. And he collapsed on top of Gray, his arms' strength giving out in an instant. "Ha, you like that? Sensitive?"

"Shuddap." Natsu moaned, his body still shaking. Gray couldn't help it. His fingers teased Natsu further, running slow circles over him. The shock of the ice kissing his skin – the dragon arched his spine, his mouth wide.

"Mmm." Gray said in a low sultry tone. His eyes glistening with his amusement, just as much as his love. "How come I never knew this? The mighty dragon has such a weak spot."

"Stop."

"Heh," Gray pulled Natsu into a long deep kiss as his fingers continued to work. He pinched one between his fingers, rolling it slowly. "I don't think so."

"Graaaaaay. Please." Drool started to fall out of the corner of the fire dragon's mouth. His vision sparked, lights exploding in his eyes.

Gray almost came from that voice. That begging. "I love you saying my name like that." Gray licked his lips, savoring the strong fiery taste. Natsu's body shook, overwhelmed by wave after wave of striking feeling. And, Gray noticed with a smile, he was losing control of his flames. The fire that danced along his skin as he became excited was washing in waves out over him. Actual flames sparked in his eyes, causing them to shine ever more gem-like. It ignited in the back of his throat.

"Graaaaaaaay."

"Alright," Gray appealed, pushing the now limp arm off his good arm. He snaked his hand down to run along Natsu's excitement. He caressed the rigid love through Natsu's white cotton pants. "Lose the pants. They're in the way."

"Graay."

"Do it." Gray teased lower. His icemake fingers raked across Natsu's sensitive chest.

"Mmmmmm!" His hands shook. They danced down to his waist to tug his pants. He slid them down over his hips, past his delicious round bubble butt.

"Good boy."

"Mmmmm. Gray, please!"

"Come here." Gray pulled his fiery dragon into a deep kiss again. Taking both of them together, Gray moaned long and deep at the touch of Natsu's fiery skin against his. They both shuddered as the world exploded, releasing every corporal tie. The stars in the heaven twinkled overhead as the boys rolled off each other, panting for breath.

"Take it back." Natsu panted, his chest heaving for air. His arms splayed out to either side, offering all he was to the night sky above.

"What?"

"What you said about the bird."

Gray just laughed, rolling onto a shoulder. He smiled with the grace of a lover's light at the dragon. "You get jealous so easily."

"You're mine."

The smile tugged wider at Gray's lips. He fell on top of the fire mage, wrapping his arms around the burning sculpted torso. And he sighed with the relief of serenity as strong arms wrapped around him in turn. "You've got nothing to worry about. I don't want to be anyone else's." He smirked. "I'm yours."

They stayed wrapped in eachother's arms underneath the endless sky for an eternity. Beside them the water glistened as glass, as a window into the sky upon the ground. The stars shown around them, dancing.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Mmm. Nothing."

"Nothing? Well what are you feeling?"

"You want to talk?"

"Yeah," Gray smiled a little, squeezing Natsu's hand in his. "It's been a while since we just talked. I miss it. We talked so much while we were in that cave."

Under the moonlight, Natsu looked into the shining eyes under the night's cowl of sweeping raven hair. They were so deep. Like bottomless pools. "What I'm feeling? Empty, I guess."

Gray frowned as he stared back into those far away green emerald flames. "Empty?"

"Yeah," the fire dragon sighed. Dropping his head, he nestled against Gray's neck just as he wrapped an arm around his hip. Resting on his beau's shoulder, he gazed out over the glassy world. Moonlight shown against it with the touch of a whispering dream. "For the first time in my life." Taking in a breath, he savored the sweet heady scent of his man. The sweat glistening still over his svelte pale body with the starlight sent him into other worlds. "I don't feel that burning need to move or fight or . . . do anything. There's no fire. Just this. Just you. I just want to sit here, like this, forever."

"Natsu."

"The water is beautiful, don't you think?" The dragon spoke softly, subdued by the crushed pine and early winter frost scent he had come to take as the greatest thing on earth. "It's just smooth, stretching on forever. So big, but it sits like it's frozen under the moonlight." Closing his eyes, Natsu allowed himself to forget everything else but that wintry world. "You think we could be like that? Just freeze. You and me, forever, just like this."

"Not empty, then."

"Mmm?"

"Not empty. Comfortable."

"Mmm. Happy. Content with the world around, to stop its endless spin, just to have this moment."

Gray lay back against the sand, running his hands through the soft pink hair cascading down his side. He stared out over the glassy eternal lake as he listened to the breaths that were hot against his skin grow soft. When did that flame-brain become a poet? That damn romantic idiot - did he have any clue what he did to Gray's heart? Each new day seemed to make the question banal, but how could he love him more?

Resting his cheek on the crown of the dragon's head, Gray let out a contented breath, and watched the moonlight waver over the black glass of water. His fingers trailed idly through the pink mane of the sleeping fire dragon.

It really was beautiful, Gray thought. The lake had seemed so ominous before looking as if it would swallow them whole in its endless expanse of void. But now, the stormy clouds above broke through in scattered holes. And through them, starlight washed over the water as if softly painting upon a fresh natural canvas.

When the gibbous moon shined through the torn heavens, it's ghastly light illuminated the castle swallowed in the sea. He could just make out the spring tips of wide towers. They dulled under the watery world as if smooth marble protected from the ravages of the dry world.

Soon, raking snores rattled past the dragon's lips. He shifted a little, burying his face into his partner's neck.

The Raven haired icemake wizard just chuckled, pulling him in tighter to his body. Saying the guy was a noisy sleeper who'd put up a fair fight with an army of chainsaws was putting things mildly. The thought tugged at his lips. How many times had he jabbed the pink-haired Salamander in the ribs when they were on a quest? How many times had he started fights with the flame-brain because Natsu had woken him up with a wracking snore?

Never mind when the guy started dreaming and fire sparked off him as sure as the spitting campfire.

But, truth be told, Gray really didn't mind any of it. He listened to the sawing, ripping snore that smoldered into a low throaty, animalistic growl. His lips trembled over his fangs glistening in the partial starlight. Natsu was a dragon after all.

His dragon.

Eventually, Gray was the one to break the comfortable silence. The stars had long since hidden away behind the curtain of the midday grey. He ran his thumb gently under Natsu's eye, tenderly caressing Natsu's cheek as his chest filled. "Let's get going, babe."

"Yeah," Natsu grunted, sitting up while cradling Gray in his arms. "Evil isn't just going to sit back and wait for us, huh?"

"Ii-eh. So . . . your nipples?"

Natsu's cheeks burned, glowing with a cherry light in the grey murky world. He slipped his legs into his pants, shrugging on his pack again. "Shut up or I'm going to tie you up so you can't touch me next time."

"Hmm. Well, maybe I'd like that."

Natsu blinked, tightening the strap over his chest. His cheeks burned even brighter. "Y-you . . . want . . ."

Gray grinned, slicking back his splayed raven hair. He shrugged, bumping his shoulders. And he started back on the path around the lake's edge.

"Wait!" Natsu grabbed his arm, yanking him to a stop.

Gray just smiled back, raising his brows.

"Do you seriously want me to do that? To . . ." Natsu gulped.

"Gods, you're so damn cute." Sliding his hand into the silky pink strands of Natsu's hair, he tugged them together until every curve of their bodies were one. Closing his eyes, he kissed his dragon for what must've been the thousandth time. Yet it still sent fiery energy coursing through his system every time. Every time was like their first. Overhead, Lux danced in the sky happily. It wove, diving down, to fan its golden wings out again and rise up to the top of the world.

Natsu grinned as he pulled away from Gray's lips.

Winking, Gray chuckled. "There are worlds to discover together, Natsu."

And one of those worlds stood before them after another week of walking. At the water's edge was a dark wide mouth opening into the earth. Lux flapped its wings, diving headfirst like a rocket toward the cave. Righting itself a second before it crashed into the rock, it puffed out its chest and landed on the apex of the rocky cavern mouth's rim. It chirped at the two boys.

"Well, what do you think?"

Natsu shrugged, tucking his hands into his pants pockets. "Come this far."

"Doesn't look very friendly." In fact, Gray couldn't see anything. Pitch black. More than that. There was darkness and then there was this. It was completely devoid of any light whatsoever. It felt like at any moment it would reach out swallow them whole.

Natsu's nose wrinkled. He sniffed at the air.

"Bad?"

"Mmm," the fire dragon frowned, staring at the black abyss. "It doesn't smell at all."

"Well I guess that's something." Gray tucked his thumbs underneath the straps of his pack. Absently, he reached up to his neck, rubbing the scaly white muffler between his forefinger and thumb.

"No, I mean it doesn't have any smell at all. Nothing."

"Nothing else to it then," Gray reached out, taking his dragon's hand. Lux chirped, fanning its wings. It jumped into the air, corkscrewed, and dove into the black cavern. "Let's go then."

Whatever they had been expecting was not what they stumbled into. Gray gulped, wide eyed at the large expanse of cavern walls around them. All of Magnolia could have fit inside those catacombs and still be dwarfed by the vastness of the amphitheater.

They had spent what felt like a month following Lux through pitch blackness. The only light they had seen through those days had come from the small bird of golden light. He had guided them down a twisted cave lattice. The likes of which had been so convoluted that Gray knew for sure there was no way to get back out again with the small golden hawk as a guide.

But the abyss they had plunged into - the pressure growing against their ears with each day diving further into the earth's shell - had given way. Lux chirped, spiraling into the air. He fanned his wings.

The two mages stared wide-eyed as the massive catacombs sparked to life. The light off of Lux's wings reverberated in a low regal thrum along the golden veins streaking through the cave's skin like elegant filigree. It basked the cave in a glowing yellow shine.

Overhead, the spanning motled gold twinkled as stars embedded in the rock, flying across the black night sky on a merry waltz. It bathed them in an ethereal golden glow.

"Gray."

"Yeah."

They both whispered, the awe to the magnificence pulling their voices.

* * *

 **Next Chapter: A Forgotten Song**


	17. A Forgotten Song

Disclaimer: The following is a literary work made for entertainment purposes. Neither the author nor the forums in which the following work appear make any profit off of the distribution of this work. Fairy Tail and its characters are the property of its creator Hiro Mashima. Support the original work.

 ****Warning: This is an M rated story and should only be read by mature adults of legal age. This story contains explicit sexual context and is not meant for underage eyes. If you are underage and continue anyway, it is not the responsibility of either this forum or the author.****

* * *

 **Chapter 17: A Forgotten Song**

For what had felt like years the two Fairy Tail mages, one the strongest and most dangerous mythical dragon of flame in all of Fiori, the other the strongest hearted demon of ice, had been in a land devoid of life. They had been alone. But never had they experienced the level of seclusion that surrounded them within the belly of the golden caves.

A small fire crackled in the center of the massive amphitheatre. The flames danced, embers spitting into the air with a hiss. But even it seemed utterly subdued, swallowed in the cave. They danced in blue and green gems the same, in complete silence. Since they had entered the gold filled walled natural hall, they had woken in the embrace of the warm bathing golden light ten times. Somewhere in what had became known as a day to them, buried deep under the earth, everything they were – everything inside – had just slipped away.

Somehow, underneath those amazing, encompassing walls, nothing seemed to matter. They were – no matter how hard they fought, how brilliantly they burned – but a passing daydream along the swaying tides of time. Silently, they stared at the slowly moving flames. Their hands touched gently in the dirt between them.

They had talked. About everything they could have possibly, but now the words had run dry. It wasn't in emptiness, nor in despair that the two boys sat solemnly in the center of wondrous natural magnificence. Neither was it that they shared everything within their churning hearts. In an eternity, Gray realized, what he felt could not be adequately put into words. There just simply weren't any left – any voice to it would have only cheapened their connection at that point.

Closing his eyes, Gray swayed a little, a warm smile gracing his lips. Opening them again, he slid his view to the dragon next to him and he realized that everything they were trying to do – the rest of the world – none of it mattered. All that really mattered was the quiet connection laying between them. Burning green eyes slid to him over a smirk. The fire glinted deep within the rich emeralds that were the glass over his overflowing heart. Their fingers interlocked.

As they shared that love, their kiss warmed by the fireside.

* * *

Natsu lay back in the dirt, a hand under his head as he stared up at the golden veins dancing a symphony across the ceiling high overhead. In the crook of his shoulder, the love of his life rested his raven head as he drifted through the worlds behind his eyelids. Natsu lay contented just listening to the soft breaths escaping his red lips. They lent the only sound in the center of the wide-open cave. He felt light. Watching the subtle twinkle of deep glinting gold spanning across the ceiling, listening to the light breaths of the man that had captured his heart – he felt as if he were on a mountaintop staring up at the stars' memory in the heavens. No, Natsu thought silently, drifting through his life. The last time he had felt this unconditionally good was atop Igneel's volcano. Gray's breaths were the wind's subtle touch upon the rustling trees.

Natsu smiled deeper, leaning his cheek against silky raven hair. Slowly his eyelids fell closed. On his chest, Lux buried its golden beak under translucent wings.

* * *

"Well this looks like it," Gray said, his hands hooked at his hips. After nearly a month underground, scrounging life off the swath of mushrooms that pocked their surroundings, they faced an archway leading into the unknowns out of the catacombs. Far too lean and a little bit crazed, the boys huphed for air as if all the oxygen in the cave had deserted them to a vacuum. The fire dragon next to him was the only thing keeping Gray grounded, but it was enough. He smiled easily at the pink-maned salamander as breaths clouded past his lips. "Lunch before heading through?"

"Probably a good idea," Natsu agreed, cracking his neck. His nose wrinkled as he sniffed the first shifting eddies of air he had felt since descending into the bowels of the earth. The swirled beyond the gateway, chaotically crashing into themselves, tumbling like writhing snakes in whatever lay beyond the cave walls. Shrugging his shoulders, he let his pack drop with a thud into the dirt. Dropping his butt to the ground similarly, Natsu dove into the pack.

Gray watched his pink-haired man with a frown. Natsu scowled as he rummaged around inside the loose pack. "How are the supplies?" They couldn't have much food left. They had rationed their supplies out, supplementing them with the acrid tasting mushrooms that grew scarcely, but they had to be reaching the limits. Sighing, he leaned back on his hands, closing his eyes and dreaming of the land where any wish was granted. Those small clearings. How he wished he could summon up a giant feast. Turkey, potatoes, roasted asparagus, pearl onions, stew, roast beef, salad, strawberries, pies, rum . . . Gray gulped, licking at the saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth. "Well, how is it?" Gray asked again to Natsu who whipped his head back and forth digging like a mole into hard earth.

"Horrible."

"Mmm. How much do we have left?"

"One bottle."

Gray's brows fell over a frown. "Bottle?"

Sighing heavily, Natsu pulled out the remaining tall bottle of clear, viscous lube. He stared at it with burning green flames, willing it to multiply and replenish his stock.

Rolling his eyes, Gray rubbed at the corner of his eye. "Idiot, I was talking about food."

"Who cares about food!? This is horrible!"

"You know, a bottle that size is supposed to last, like months. And we had five of them."

Natsu stared flatly at him. "What's your point?"

Holding his palms up to the ceiling high overhead, Gray just shook his head. But his gaze dropped intensely. "How come I'm the only one who's taken it?" He sat up, crossed-legged, glaring at his boyfriend.

" 'Cuz."

" 'Cuz," Gray repeated, his eye twitching. "Seriously, what the hell?"

Shrugging, Natsu gently placed the one remaining sacred bottle back into his pack. "You like it."

"Yeah, and I like it the other way too!"

Smirking, Natsu looked up, "how would you know?"

"Ass."

"Nah, it's your ass we are talking about. And that's exactly why. How the hell am I supposed to say no to that?"

"But –"

"But nothing. Consider it your just desserts – sweet payback – for teasing me by stripping all the gods-damn time. It's there in front of me, I'm claiming it for myself."

Unamused, Gray ran his tongue over his bottom lip, his eyelids ridges over his cutting, icy blue eyes. "You know I haven't been able to walk right for like three weeks! My hips have been friggin' killing me!"

Natsu just smirked wider, bumping his brows.

"Ass," Gray repeated, his voice ice.

"What are you going to do about it?" Natsu's gaze lowered, his emerald eyes burning in an amused challenge.

"I think you gods-damned-well know! Come here!" Gray lunged at his pink-maned boyfriend, sending them both sprawling back into the dirt.

Underneath him, Natsu laughed, shoving at the smooth, svelte pale body above. "Get off me," he chuckled, trying to toss Gray.

But the icemake demon was having nothing of it. His eyes shown with brilliant blue flames of desire. Deep within the glaciers and frozen oceans, the tides churned. He pinned the fire dragon underneath him, leaning down to devour his burning lips. He pulled back, grinning, a feral wolf.

Natsu smiled, blissfully under the predator's gaze. "You really think you can take a dragon?

Leaning down, Gray bared his teeth, scraping them over the muscled neck which tensed under his touch. Misty ice rolled out over Natsu's skin evaporating as it hit his tanned hide. The dragon arched his neck back, hissing. He slid his fingers over Natsu's chest, teasing at his weakness Gray had been coming very familiar with. The fire dragon's body shuddered as his fingers slid over his nipples.

As he caressed Natsu's neck, Gray's hands attacked the dragon's belt. There was not tact, just pure need. Underneath the blue-eyed demon's touch, Natsu stared up at the gold stars running streams over the cave above. The gold thrummed with life, deep in its orange brilliance to its subtle rustic sheen. Natsu's body quaked, feeling overwhelming all his senses. He gasped, open mouthed, for air. "Gray!"

Grinning wide, the raven tore down Natsu's pants, yanking them past his ankles. "This has been a gods-damned long time coming."

Panting for breath, Natsu locked eyes with his icy lover. "You know, dragons don't roll over for anyone."

"Well one's about to."

"Gray."

The icemake wizard blinked at the sudden gentleness of Natsu's tongue as he said his name. All of his burning desire washed out of him, purging as a tsunami of emotion fleeing his body. He looked deeply into deep sage eyes.

Natsu slowly raked his fingers back through Gray's silky raven hair. His rough thumb caressed Gray's cheek softly, running slow circles over the pale skin. "Only you." His thumb ran gently over Gray's reddened lips. Natsu laid his head back into the dirt. "Only you, my mate.

Gray's heart squeezed. Nirvana. Whatever it was, the philosopher's dream. The state of purity. Gray closed his eyes, his mind, soul, and body drifting away into that ethereal plane of existence. His lips met Natsu's, this time taking him slowly. Their tongues wound over each other, their unique tastes melding into one between them. The fire that had burned him, left him driven with need, scorched, and ready to devour, abided to an encompassing warmth.

It wasn't any one feeling. It was everything he was. Everything around him, everything inside him, they all aligned, a cosmic symphony. Caressing Natsu lovingly, Gray slowly brought their corporal bodies into one to match their melded hearts.

Natsu's neck arched, flames washing uncontrolled over his tanned, rippling skin. As Gray filled him, Natsu stared absently at the golden lines so high above, drifting away. He moaned, low and deep, his chest rumbling with the power of a dragon. But it was a power beyond anything the salamander had ever known. It was not something that gave form, not something like magic or strength. It was something deep inside him that connected for the first time in his life. A piece of himself he had never known was missing, and it was Gray that perfectly filled that emptiness.

They rolled over the moving currents of their love, slowly. Each time they broke a wave's crest, they held each other on the clear lake's surface away from all else. They drifted. The gold above came to the stars.

Natsu lay, contented, dirt covering his strong back from shoulder to heel. His lover, his partner, his nakama, his guildmate, his family, his fiercest competitor, his mate; lay on top of him. Idly, Natsu trailed his fingers gently up and down the vale that was Gray's spine between the hard hills of his toned back. They had missed lunch. They probably missed dinner as well. Gray's breaths were soft and chilly over his exposed chest. Natsu couldn't help the smile on his lips. Everything was right.

Taking a breath, he shifted, gently rolling his love to the ground at his side. Placing his lips on the sleeping demon's brow, Natsu kissed him tenderly. Standing, Natsu fished his legs into his pants before running his fingers back through his mane of wild pink hair, straitening it down his back and shaking free the dirt matting it. Taking one more breath, Natsu looked at Gray's sleeping form for longer than he'd ever admit.

But finally, he walked toward the cave wall. He placed his palm on the gold veins, deep and rich, with a million hues of life. Lux landed on his shoulder, tucking in his wings around himself. He cocked his small golden head at the fire dragon. Holding up his finger to his lips, Natsu very quietly whispered to the bird, "shhh."

Then his finger ignited, a small spire of flame tapered to a point above his nail. Glancing one more time back to find his mate sleeping in blissful eternity, Natsu guided the drilling flame against the rock face. Where the fire met rock, it sputtered and spit, sparks flying off around him. But eventually, the rock began to melt, its sturdy strength falling to liquid running down the wall. Running his finger along a particularly breath-takingly beautiful vein of gold, Natsu circumscribed it, melting the rock that ran along its edge until a large chunk of gold dropped free into his palm.

Quietly tracing his way back to his pack, erasing his footsteps behind him, Natsu buried the radiating gold deep within his pack, wrapping it in layer upon layer of cloth on the pack's very bottom. Silently, he repacked everything he had on top of it, burying the gold. Natsu slid back to Gray's side, wrapping his arms lovingly around the raven-haired man, and pulling him close in his arms, before allowing his eyelids to drop. Lux circled, before landing atop Natsu pack and curling into a ball to sleep.

When the boys woke, they both stared into each other's eyes, not daring to say a single word in fear that it may break the trance that had swallowed them both whole. Guiding his icemake fingers through Natsu's long pink-hair, Gray silently mouthed, _I love you_.

Kissing him, Natsu smiled softly. _You too_.

Without a word shared, they slid apart to stand. That was when Natsu froze, his back bent in an awkward angle, his eyes wide. "Owwwww!"

Laughing into his fist, Gray winked. "You'll get used to it."

Rubbing his palm at the small of his back, Natsu winced. "Gods, you were always such a pain in the ass! I just didn't know, literally!"

"Corny, flame-brain." He slapped Natsu's boulder of a shoulder. "There, now the scores like one to a hundred."

Grumbling Natsu just continued to rub his lower back, heating his palm as he kneaded the knotted muscle.

"I'm sorry," Gray said, his smile dropping. "I didn't mean to do it so much. You aren't used to it."

"Mmm," Natsu straightened his back, rolling his shoulders back until his spine was completely straight. He slowly cracked his neck. "Well I guess I'll need more practice to get used to it, right?"

Laughing before kissing him, Gray nodded. "Right."

"Last night was incredible, Gray."

"For me too. You're hot as hell." Gray smirked, bumping his brows. But he settled back into a more serious set. "Can you say what you said last night again?"

"Huh?"

"What you called me."

"Gray? A hot ass?"

"Not what I'm talking about, flame-brain."

Laughter dancing on his lips, Natsu wove his hands around Gray's hips. He held him, bringing them together before kissing him deeply, sharing the fire that burned with each beat of his heart. He pulled back, his lips dancing over Gray's as he softly said, "my mate."

It hit Gray's heart like a thunderbolt, but soothed it with a wrapping embrace. "Primal to the core," he tucked a stray strand of pink hair behind Natsu's ear.

"What else would you ask from a dragon?"

"Absolutely nothing," Gray's lips bent. And it was the truth, Gray thought as he shouldered his pack. He really didn't need a single thing else in the world. He looked to the stone archway, lined with delicate gold traces, and he glanced to his mate. They stepped through together, completely unaware of the magnificence they were stumbling into.

Out of a cave so massive, Gray was starting to think it could have spread all the way back to Fiori – from a world of warm golden showering light, they stepped into a chasm.

Gray's jaw dropped. Above his head, the glassy water of the lake they had seen more than a month ago floated, held up by invisible magic supports. Where the gold caves spoke of the delicacy and feeling of nature, the world they stepped into dwarfed them in nature's power. Just barely, Gray squinted, he could make out the starlight. It just cut through the murky black expanse of water as if it were a forgotten memory.

They stepped to the edge of a ridgeline. The rock cut away, dropping into the sea far below them. Trapped between two worlds of unmoving water, Gray gripped Natsu's hand tighter in his. While it was beautiful, moving through the middle of a full lake – something only Juvia could probably have experienced, it chilled even Gray's rigid spine. Any second, he was sure, the two seas would fill the expanse, crushing them and squelching out their lives with not even the slightest of after thoughts.

And yet, across from them stood a massive stone castle – not stone, Gray realized now – it was cut of pure white marble. It stood boldly between the two watery graves, spires piercing high, flanging with tapered points into the watery sky. The tallest, the centerpiece of the temple, struck like a sword straight up, barely kissing the water's breath above. And around its base, the watery world below moved seamlessly. The water never quite touched the marble's embrace as if it were repelled by its white purity.

Between the two Fairy Tail mages and the white towers was a gorge larger still than the entire catacombs of golden caves. Shivering electricity coursed through Gray's legs, slamming with spikes into the soles of his feet. His head spun. Everything around them defied reason. Space had warped. To speak to its unnaturalness, twisting air coursed around them in an ocean tempest. The air pushed from the left, only to be slammed back by the right. It twisted and writhed.

Just as currents moved from one direction, they knotted with their opposites. Even the air couldn't make up its mind.

Lux chirped, jumping off of the top of Natsu's pack. He twisted in the swirling air currents. He spread his golden wings only to be pummeled by the confused air and slammed into the ground. It shook its small head back and forth rapidly, stars dancing in its eyes.

"You alright, little buddy?" Natsu asked, kneeling to rub its head. Somewhere in the caves the two creatures born of fire and wing had bonded. Where at first Gray was just glad Natsu had gotten over his jealousy, ceasing to throw fireballs at the small golden bird, the icemake wizard had to admit the bond they shared left him a little sidelined.

Lux cocked its head to the side, chirping high again. And as if sensing Gray's thoughts behind his icy blue eyes, the small bird managed to right itself and glide up against the wind's fury to perch in Gray's raven hair.

Natsu scratched the back of his head, looking out over the vast expanse of nothing between them and the white castle. "I'm guessing we have to get over there. How exactly?" He scanned the rock face where it met a glass wall of black water. There was absolutely no path. "Any ideas?"

"Not a one."

"Icemake?"

"It's too far. I'd end up losing it halfway then we'd fall into the water. And I get the feeling we really don't want to touch the water." Gray glanced at his boyfriend to find emerald eyes covered in a daze. The pink-maned fire dragon stared absently at the castle in the distance. "Natsu?"

"Mmm?"

"You okay?"

"Sure." He shook his head, taking in a breath, though his eyes remained unfocused. "You think there's a path that we just can't see? Lux was supposed to show us the way, maybe he knows something. Lux?"

The small golden eagle cocked its head again, chirping in reply. It nestled atop Gray's head. But then his birdcall changed. Gray frowned, rolling his eyes back and trying to see the bird on his head. Lux began to sing in the way songbirds want. Trilling from high to low, Lux wove a tale of forests, and sky, and fire. When he stopped, they were left in a silent void, except for the slicing of the whipping wind.

"Mmmkay, what was that supposed to mean, Lux?"

Chirping, the golden eagle flapped one wing before pecking Gray's head rapidly.

"Ow! What the-" Gray reached above to smack the bird away, but Lux tumbled down to the ground, fanning its wings before it hit. It hopped on its feet, chirping again, and cocked its small head, looking up at Gray. The icemake wizard frowned, rubbing the top of his head. "What do you think he wants, Natsu?"

Lux began his songbird trill again. Natsu pursed his lips, but then he chuckled. "I think he wants you to sing with him, Gray."

"What?"

"Go on, sing with him."

"I'm not singing with the bird."

If possible, a veil of irritation surrounded the small bird made entirely of light. If hopped forward again, pecking Gray's boot.

"Hey, stop it!"

"Go on, Gray. Sing with the little guy!"

Gray hopped on one foot, but the small bird went after the other. He stepped back but Lux jumped forward, continuing to peck at Gray. They chased each other in a circle on the ledge of the precipice. Natsu watched them, holding his face in his palm, though his lips bent in a smirk. "I was wrong, it looks like he wants to dance with you."

"Shut it," Gray said, hopping from foot to foot, spinning around in a ring as the bird mercilessly attacked him.

"Hey, I'd let you teach me to dance anytime."

Rolling his eyes, Gray sunk down into a crouch. He spun, his blue eyes lighting as he caught Lux between his palms. The bird opened its small, pointed white beak, chirping. "Got you." Holding him up to his face, Gray glared at the small menace. "What do you want?"

"I thought I already answered that."

Gray slid him a glare which brought a not so subtle smirk to Natsu's lips. The dragon shrugged.

Lux squawked, shifting its wings, trying to wiggle free from Gray's grasp. Finally, the bird gave up, opening its beak again to flow along the lines of some sky-bound melody. Gray's eyes narrowed as he stared closely at their guide. Stopping his song, Lux pecked at Gray's thumb once, and started the swaying refrain again.

Running his tongue along his lip, Gray placed Lux back on the ground. In his hand, misty ice reverberated, snapping into form.

Natsu cocked a brow. "I haven't seen you play the flute in a really long time."

The icemake mage stared at the clear-blue delicate instrument in his palm. "It was something I did when I couldn't have you." He smiled softly, seeing his blurry reflection against the single shining tube of the flute. "I haven't felt much like playing lately."

"Still a shame," Natsu's sage eyes danced. "You really play beautifully. I couldn't believe it when I heard . . . it was like you were opening up so much more of yourself than you normally do."

"Natsu, I don't think there's a single part of me you are not familiar with, now."

"Mmm," Natsu crossed his arms over his chest. "You know that's not true."

"What are you talking about?"

Waving his hand in front of his face as if shooing away some fog, Natsu shook his head. "I don't mean you are purposefully hiding things from me. I just mean there are always parts deep inside that you don't even reveal to yourself. And you lay it all out when you play."

Staring at the flute, Gray let out a single laugh. "When did you become so wise?"

"I've always been wise."

Shaking his head slowly, Gray grabbed Natsu with his icemake fist, pulling them together to share what neither knew of themselves. "Alright," Gray said, stepping back. "Let's see if this works." Bringing the flute to his lips, Gray closed his eyes. The last thing he saw was Natsu's beautiful green gaze before he let himself completely free of his mortal shell.

In the black, a ray of pure light wove. It bent, dancing along a blank canvas. In its highs, it spun merrily, proclaiming its joy and deepest love for which the heart beat in rhythm. In its lows, that heart bled in the deepest sorrows. And Gray followed its dance through its own oblivion plane.

Natsu's breath escaped his lungs as the pure emotion of the flute poured forth Gray's heart. He was entranced, unable to take his eyes off the pale-skinned, raven-haired beauty. Icemake and flesh fingers danced over holes in the shining ice flute. He felt his heart being tugged out of his chest.

It was a siren's call.

The water divide began to shift with the moving melody. And in the chasm, rain poured.

Gray opened his eyes, falling back into himself gradually. His flute disappeared in his palm, falling to twinkling specs of icy crystals, pouring through his fingers. He looked to Natsu, his sage eyes caught between flame and tears. He looked to his mate. And he grabbed him, holding onto him with every ounce of energy his body had. He buried head under Natsu's chin, feeling the strong beat of the dragon's heart through his chest.

Strong arms wrapped around him. And together they looked out over an arching bridge of shifting black water, spanning to the gates of the marble white towers. Around them, the ridgelines had broken free from the cave walls.

And as the water began to move, the two Fairy Tail mages stood in each other's arms atop earth as it sped along the tempest's race.

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Strange Tides**


	18. Strange Tides

Disclaimer: The following is a literary work made for entertainment purposes. Neither the author nor the forums in which the following work appear make any profit off of the distribution of this work. Fairy Tail and its characters are the property of its creator Hiro Mashima. Support the original work.

 **A/N: After this chapter I am going to take a slight divergence from my main stories and write two one-shots I have planned. The first will be a follow-up to Fiery White Christmas. Be on the lookout!**

* * *

 **Chapter 18: Strange Tides**

Atop the broken piece of earth, fire and ice sped across an arc of rushing white water. Natsu sniffed at the air, his eyes narrowing as his body tensed, muscles bulging. Beside him, Gray felt the eerie chill whipping around them, cutting as wicked knives between the two water worlds. He eyed the water ceiling, reverberating slightly as they past, breathing long deep monstrous breaths. Below, black water licked at the edge of rock, spitting into the air in an angry foam.

Lux buried himself in Natsu's white scarf, tucking his small light strewn feathery head underneath Gray's chin. The icemake wizard idly scratched the golden bird's cheek as he stared ahead at the impending walls. Marble pillars stood as goliaths, guardians as spires to the incredible city-state built between watery worlds. They held up a delicate archway speaking to the grace of the magnificent engineering just as the shadows lurked, waiting, ready to swallow the world into the abyss. A shiver raced down Gray's spine. His icemake hand flexed, curling into a fist before calming again and again. His raven hair whipped, slashing back and forth with the currents of winds' thrashing, writhing bodies.

Archway after archway blurred past overhead until finally the watery roofs were replace by the hard hand of man.

"Gray." Natsu nearly whispered, his arms rippling as his fists clenched. Bright balls of red fury snapped around his knuckles, licking up past his wrists.

The icemake wizard couldn't help the next shiver that sliced down his spine. The hall – what must have been a hall at some point – lay shattered. Pillars crumbled as flimsy trees blown down to lifeless shells to lie piled on the broken floor. Deep gouges marred the marble ground, clawing lines too large to even belong to Igneel ripped across the floor cutting deep wounds as if through thin hide.

"Gray," Natsu growled this time, crouching down. A sudden whoof of air plunged them in blackness, throwing out air into a forgotten vacuum. Gray blinked, but before he could think, he was jerked. The ground bucked, sending him flying. The icemake wizard flailed, his arms and legs scrambling through the empty air. He twisted, a barrage of sharp rocks slicing his arm. They skimmed off his icemake arm. Just as he wrapped his arms around Natsu, the fire dragon took him into his chest, holding him tight. Together they slammed into the floor, skidding across the destroyed ground as a stricken hockey puck. They whipped around a corkscrew, spinning rapidly in a vortex.

When they finally stopped, Natsu shook his head. He rolled back onto his back over the thick shell of ice beneath his shoulder blades. "Good thinking."

"I try," Gray sighed, swallowing past the vertigo sticking his stomach into his chest. His icemake arm shimmered as ice slid back from the plank of ice he had formed underneath them. In a second, corded muscle formed back in his fake limb. He whipped his head back and forth, getting his feet under him. He teetered, but caught himself with the aid of a fiery grip on his shoulder. "Not exactly a smooth stop, huh?"

The pink-maned fire dragon stared back through the darkness with his wildly keen emerald eyes. "Stupid rock just smashed into something."

"Broken pillar." Gray cracked his neck. Underneath his chin, Lux popped his head out from the scaly white scarf. His eyes swam with swirling stars. It chirped sharply, its gaze trailing over the desolation. The raven followed the small bird's lead, frowning worriedly. "What the hell happened here?"

"I don't know. Something big," Natsu's neck craned back. He glared up at the high ceiling overhead, the marble splintered with gaping chunks fallen earthbound.

Running his hand along the broken white-veined marble, smooth under his skin, Gray shook his head. "I don't even think you could have managed this level of destruction."

"Hmph," Natsu blew air out of his nose, cracking his knuckles. "Don't insult me." Flames licked up his corded forearms.

Gray couldn't help but smirk at his fiery man. Red wrath waved beautifully over his tan skin. The red glow illuminated his ripped torso, casting deep shadows under the hills of his powerful abs. "Just be careful."

"Stay close to my side." Natsu growled, holding up his hand in front of them. A pilot light bounced over the thick pads of his palm, dancing as a spotlight. The flames shown eternal life, lighting flares in a hard emerald glare. His nose wrinkled. On the dead, unmoving air, a stale stench cloyed from the bowels of the marble city.

Gray scratched Lux's head as they passed through the archway that once stood as a glorious entrance into the sunken city. They clambered over mountains of crumbled debris, climbing over chunks of cracked marble larger than any building in Magnolia. Gray's icemake hand had turned into a pick, slicing a deep handhold into the sleek marble. He hung from it, climbing stories into the air on tilted marble bone. Underneath him, Natsu rock-climbed using the holds his icemake partner made. Gripping the cut edge at the top of the block, Gray pulled himself onto the tip of the crumbled world. His hands hooked at his hips. Natsu pulled himself up, standing with a stiff-spine next to him. "You know, sometimes this icemake arm is damn convenient."

"Mmm." Natsu grumbled a little, sliding his burning gaze to the shining ice arm of brilliantly cut crystals. He looked straight through Gray's forearm. His heart-string twanged, issuing a knife laid bare deep in his soul. His suddenly somber sage eyes flicked to the black abyss spanning below them. Holding out his palm, the pyre-light danced on ghostly strings down into the black. It quivered down into a broken hole punched into the marble wall.

"Well," Gray clapped his palms together, taking a knee, and placing them on the smooth marble. Ice shimmered, crawling out a thin shell down a frozen waterfall over the marble's side. "Down you go," Gray's blue eyes shown. He pressed his palm into the small of the dragon's back. He threw him forward.

Growling, Natsu spun down the ice-ramp. He flew down it on his stomach, belly-sliding with his hands out in front of him. Gray glided down the ice, controlled, ice sliding underneath the soles of his boots as if he were snowboarding seamlessly on freshly packed bluff of white snow. He met Natsu's burning glare with a smirk at the bottom of the ramp. "Are you just going to sit on your butt all day?"

"Haha," the fire dragon took Gray's hand, pulling himself onto his feet.

"What is your butt still sore?"

Natsu fisted his hand in silken raven hair. With a snarling smile, he tugged Gray to him, staring straight into his blue eyes with a fiery inferno. His fangs tugged Gray's bottom lip before pulling back and letting the lip spring back free from his hold. "Remember who you are dealing with, ice boy."

"Believe me," Gray laughed lightly. He wrapped his arms around the pink-maned man's hips. Pulling them together, he pressed Natsu's hips into his. "I never forget. You are the most dangerous man in Fiori." Gray said low and seductively. A frosty light shown brilliantly in his sapphire eyes. "You are a fiery brat. You're quick tempered. You are the first to start up a fight. But you have the biggest heart." Closing his eyes, Gray connected their worlds. He felt himself engulfed in the fiery summer that was Natsu Dragneel. And he pulled back with a beatific smile dancing on his lips. "You are a dragon incarnate. My dragon."

"Hmph," the fire dragon smirked back.

"Ready to go in?"

"Not yet," Natsu's burning lips took his icy lover's again. "Alright," fire laughed in his eyes, "let's go."

Shoulder to shoulder they descended into the labyrinth that was the marble city-state. What was once, Gray was sure, a perfectly planned, brilliant city, laid into rubble. Buildings had long since crumbled to block streets. Walls lay over the chiseled walking paths, to bury it all underneath the spilled guts of the forgotten houses lining them. Gray stared in awe of what lay around them. It had been beautiful.

When they set down for lunch, Gray scanned the horizon. In his mind, he pieced together what remained of the city. Giant shards flew into the air piecing back together a massive jigsaw. He leaned back on his palms behind. High overhead he saw towering spires piercing above, all around with the power of gods. They stood around the city-state as guardians. Each bore watch as an eagles' over the districts below and, it seemed, were once ready to spread their wings and envelope them all underneath protective divinity. "It was so beautiful."

"It's a pile of debris."

"Now, but what it was once."

"It doesn't feel right."

"Nothing in this land feels right. But, imagine," Gray pointed out over the crumbled landscape, "how delicate each building was carved into the marble. There must have been hundreds of thousands who lived here."

"Mmm," Natsu tore at a chunk of dried beef. He rolled it between his fangs. Each bite he tried to savor for each bite was one leap closer to the end of their nearly emptied food stores. "You think there will be food in there somewhere?"

"Doesn't look like there has been anyone here for a century."

Pawing at his deflated stomach, Natsu frowned heavily, looking out over the decimated stone city. "What do you think happened to them?"

"I'd guess the same thing that happened to everywhere else, here. That devouring evil that Igna talked about. Who do you think built this place?"

Natsu frowned, his gaze flicking to his icy man. "What's with you?"

"I don't know," Gray cocked his head, continuing to piece the shattered and scattered city together in his mind. "Something about this place is just drawing."

"It feels empty and cold."

"Mmm," Gray's feet swung idly over the edge of an outcropping of broken marble sheets. His heels tapped back against the hard, unforgiving stone. He stared out into the distance, and he frowned. His spine stiffened. "Natsu, do you see that?"

"What?"

He pointed an arrow-line with his icemake arm straight to the heart of the city. In his mind's reconstructed city, four spiraling towers stood at four corners. They stood bold. They spoke of power. And at their center, hanging high in the black skies overhead was a shimmering blue glint of sparkling light. "There's a blue light." Gray jumped to his feet. Something about it. His bare skin tingled. His face lit. "It's ice!"

Smacking his palm over his burning eyes, Natsu rolled them, falling down onto his back. "You ice-in-your-pants idiot, ice-obsessed . . ."

"You know very well what is in my pants, flame-brain. And I don't want to hear it from a guy whose like a basset hound for a fire to eat."

"Wish we had some fire now," Natsu grumbled again pulling at his empty and withering stomach.

"I think we should head for that blue light." Gray stood, patting his pants. He was determined not to think about his stomach. "Enough wasting time."

!

It took the pair nearly a week to clamber through the destruction and reach the center of the desolated city. Natsu grumbled, letting his pack slip off of his shoulder. It crumpled on the floor. He sat down with a huff. "Day five with absolutely no food."

"Mmm," Gray looked up, staring with awed wonder at the ice crystal hanging in the dark heavens over the cityscape. His sapphire eyes fell to his boyfriend. He sat against his pack, drained. And he glanced to the crumbled houses surrounding them. "I wonder," Gray ran his tongue over his teeth. "Hey Natsu, I'll be right back."

"Mpphh," Natsu flicked his limp hand through the air, his eyes closed. Natsu's head lolled against the in-laid frame of his pack. But then, his nose wrinkled. Smoke? His eyebrows crinkled. Sniffing the air heartily, he perked up instantly. His emerald eyes shown with the crackling fire blooming in front of him. He licked his chapped lips. And his eyes flicked to his man. He crouched by the fire, prodding it with a chunk of wood.

He smirked at Natsu over the flicking flames. "There was wood-framed furniture inside the houses."

"You." Natsu's jaw quivered. He stared longingly at the fire. It washed over the old-worn wood licking at a hastily broken two-by-four. "You."

Chuckling, Gray bumped his brows. He held out his palms to the fire. "Help yourself." His fiery dragon lunged forward. On his knees, he scooped his hands through the flame, pawing it back toward his mouth. His chest swelled as his cheeks hollowed. With great intakes of air, the fire drew like noodles into his gullet. He swallowed deeply. The flames spun, wrapping in his stomach. He smiled happily, swiping at his lips with the back of his hand. Gulping down the fire, he welcomed the fullness swelling his long-deflated stomach. Face-planting in the campfire, he sucked in every flicker of flames. Swallowing it past his dragon's tongue, he beamed.

Falling back onto his butt, he patted his engorged stomach with a blissful smile. "So good." Belching, black smoke plumed past his lips, Natsu grinned. But then he sat up, staring over the dead campfire and to his raven-haired beau. "What about you?"

Gray just shrugged. He hooked his hands at his hips and looked up into the empty star-grieved sky. "It's not like I can eat the fire like you."

"But . . ."

"I'll be fine."

"Maybe there's some food in these houses."

"It'd be rotten to dust by now."

"But . . ."

"Don't worry about it, flame-brain. You ready?"

"I guess." Shouldering his pack, Natsu frowned. He should have left the food for Gray. They would have always found a way to start a fire, but Gray . . . damn bastard wouldn't have let him go without eating the meat anyway.

Gray just grinned, clapping his palms together. Mist snapped around his hands. And ice formed in a towering staircase. It shown with brilliant blue light. And it climbed. High into the sky over the crumbled rooftops. Nodding his head to the side, he held out his arm. Lux dove out from behind Natsu's scaly white scarf. He spread his small golden, translucent wings. And he circled over the boys as they climbed.

!

At the last step, the Fairy Tail wizards froze side by side.

"What the –"

"It's Aquarion," Gray whispered, his eyes shining with ghosts. It had to be the oldest brother of the siblings of light.

"It's like he's trapped in an iced-shell."

"Just like Deliora," the icemake wizard said slowly.

Inside of a great crystal of pure blue ice, a man floated, frozen in time. He was emotionless, frozen in the crystal world. His eyes had faded to nothing. And though his strong, scaly golden body reverberated within the heart of the ice, half of his body lay blackened. Wicked lines had advanced as poison through the bloodstream, racing up the veins of his arm and leg. It leeched the man's heart.

"He was being taken over just like his brother and sister."

"Seems like he managed to stop it," Natsu murmured, reaching out his hand to touch the cold shell past the white mist which coiled over its frozen surface.

"He couldn't beat it. He froze himself."

A gunshot banged as a lightning strike over the desolated city. A gaping crack shot up the blue ice crystal. It split the ice in half.

"Natsu, what the heck did you do!?"

"What?" Natsu pulled back his hand. "I just touched –" His emerald eyes shot wide.

The ice crystal blew apart with an explosion of a star's dying breath over the city-state. Icy shards bigger than they were shattered over the empty land. Light glinted. In the center, the golden man shuddered. He clasped at his throat, a poisonous sputtering gurgling in his throat. He fell to his knees on a floating platform of ice. He coughed, black sludge splattering past his lips and staining the pure ice. Cloying black smoke rose as the sludge melted through the thick plate of ice. "Wh-what have you done?" His blackening eyes shot up to the two Fairy Tail mages. The evil scrawled across the whites of his eyes with quickly advancing thin wicked blades. As it met the virgin shining blue or his irises, it bled them red. "Y-you fools."

Gray made to jump onto his platform but was jerked back with a strong, iron-willed fiery grasp. Natsu held his arm firm, wrapped around Gray's waist. "Don't." The fire dragon growled.

His limbs shaking, Aquarion let out a blood-curdling scream. His hands shook as they clawed at his face. He doubled over.

"Natsu."

"Don't go near him."

"Nat –"

"Don't!"

The screaming abruptly cut off. It left an eerie silent void. Gray felt himself being pulled forward into it. But then, the last of the light died beneath the black. And the shadowy form snapped to its feet. It shown a wicked smile under bloody eyes. The red poured over its black formless face, running rivers, dripping past its sharpened gleaming fangs. And it laughed. The city shook.

His voice boomed.

And it flicked its arms up high. Shadows raced from its palms as crashing lightning strikes. The blackness buried into the marble ceiling overhead. Cracks rained stone down over the city as a broken hailstorm.

And as the black water rushed down upon them, Natsu wrapped Gray tight in his arms. Though he held on with all his strength, the water slammed into them with the force of a thunder of dragons' roars, ripping them apart. Natsu held out his palm as Gray was lifelessly pulled away in a bone-breaking current. The black water swallowed Natsu. Bubbles streamed past his mouth as he struggled, flipping with the water's onslaught. He punched out his fire-ignited fists, flailing. But the water squelched him as a candle under a hurricane. First his shoulder slammed against an unyielding mass of marble. But then, as he spun with the rapids, Natsu's skull cracked into the edge of a marble building and all went black.

* * *

Sputtering, Natsu coughed, water spewing past his lips. The black liquid trailed down his cheeks. Forcing the water from his lungs, he struggled to his hands and knees. He threw up black sludge. Temples throbbing, Natsu gasped for breath. But he struggled to his feet. "Gray? Gray!"

"I'm right here, flame-brain."

Spinning around, Natsu's lips split in an overwhelming smile. He threw his weakly battered body against the pale man standing beside him. He wrapped his arms around that svelte body, burying his face into his defined chest.

* * *

Spitting out black sludgy water, Gray groaned. He flipped onto his back, his one arm and legs splayed out. And he gasped for breath. Lux wiggled his way out from behind the scarf around Gray's neck. He whipped his small golden body sending rivulets of black water flying through the air. Forcing himself to sit up, Gray's chest burned with the searing weight of the water. He sat atop a broken marble spire surrounded by nothing but spanning endless black water. Wincing, he ran his palm over his face, glancing down dispassionately at the crimson clinging to his too-pale skin.

Scowling, Gray twisted in his spot. Nothing. Nothing but black water. His heart dropped. "Natsu! Where are you? Naaaatsuuuu!"

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Separation**


	19. Separation

Disclaimer: The following is a literary work made for entertainment purposes. Neither the author nor the forums in which the following work appear make any profit off of the distribution of this work. Fairy Tail and its characters are the property of its creator Hiro Mashima. Support the original work.

****WARNING: This story it rated M for graphic and violent content. Only for audiences 18 years of age or older.****

A/N: I've had the skeleton of this small chapter on my phone for a while now and finally had the chance to write it during a loll in my day. This was not reviewed heavily before publishing.

* * *

Chapter 19: Separation

Letting out a heavy sigh, Gray leaned back against his palms. He sat alone at the summit of a towering spire - a desolate peak forsaken of the world. Not even light seemed to offer its kinship to him there. The raven haired icemake wizard shook his head, his jaw knotting in rolling balls. All there was was black.

Black. Black water. Black sky. He could barely even make out the thin skinned veil that was the separation between the two.

It just wasn't possible. Glancing down at his foot, he silently watched the heel of his boot carve a small groove into the supple clay of the tower. There was no way. Even with the amount of water . . . The towers of the desecrated city had still stood as tall as redwoods. There was just no way he could not see them. Not see Natsu.

He forced himself back onto his feet, kicking the loose clay into the black oblivion with disgust dripping off his lips. Natsu. Damn it.

A chirp sounded in his ear. Gray frowned. He looked up.

Nothing.

But then. He blinked. Lux popped into view less than a foot in front of his face. Gray scowled, he eyed the bird as he landed on his shoulder. "Did you find anything, Lux?"

The small golden bird shuddered. It tucked its wings as a coat tightly clasped around his small body of light. His small white feathers rustled with the quakes through his small frame.

"I see." Gray cracked his neck.

How long had he been up there? How long had he been blacked out? Where in the hell was Natsu?

All alone.

When the initial fear dissipated, it fell to a burning wrath. Blue fire coursed in icy gems. His fist curled. Muscles bulged all the way up his arm. "Where are you, you coward demon!? I'm still alive you weak little sorry excuse for a henchman! Come fight me!" His breath fogged past his lips in clouds of white as he screamed.

Gray held up his palm. An ice spike formed as a javelin between his fingers. He knew it stupid. He knew it so unlike him. His icy shell had fallen, melted away by a man of pure fire. And without him by his side, Gray's temples throbbed. He couldn't keep his cool. Couldn't keep his composure. Knowing Natsu was somewhere out there . . . Not knowing. Growling, his lip quivered, and he threw the ice javelin, spinning into the blackness.

His eyes narrowed. And his spine stiffened as his ears set back. The javelin disappeared. He stared at the point where it was swallowed by the black for an eternity. Before finally, he blinked, frowning. A cool breath blossomed past his lips. His chest filled. "Son of a bitch." Gray held up his palm to his temple, wincing.

He shook his head rapidly, forcing a steely calm, iron down his spine. Closing his eyes, he drew into himself. His breaths grew long. They grew slow. Finally, when his eyelids parted, they were calm blue glaciers. "Master of delusion." Gray snaked his tongue over his teeth while he recalled the fire child of light's words. He'd fallen right into the damn trap. He'd been too distracted, thinking about Natsu - thinking about all the could haves - to see what was.

But a steady breath blew out his nose. And he smirked. Bastard didn't know who he was dealing with. That creature wasn't going to get inside his head, twice.

At his shoulder, frost snapped in a coiling mist against Gray's pale skin. It rippled down from the shoulder blade, crawling with muscle and bone as the icemake demon stared at the darkness. His ice fist clenched.

"Come on, Lux." From his palm, ice split as a deep spike straight down the center of the spire. It drove down, wicked thin, carving away the stone with the ease of slipping through water.

Closing his eyes, his mind grew as calm as ice. With his magic he connected his whole being, leaving his body to feel the world around through his icy sensors. His eyes snapped open with a smirk.

Clay crumbled under his soles. Groaning with a crackling avalanche, the tower buckled under its own weight. As he fell through the air, the ice wrapped around him, forming a sleek shell around his body. He stared forward as he fell watching the motionless clay rubble in tow. Setting his gaze, his teeth set feral. The ice narrowed into a keen blade.

He struck deep into the blackness. The water swallowed him whole.

* * *

"You okay?" Natsu frowned, grabbing Gray's forearm.

The raven shook his head, the distant look in his eyes turned to a shimmer over his easy smile back at the dragon. "I'm fine. That was so powerful," Gray said, staring up into the sky. "You really think we can take that thing on?"

"We'll kick its ass."

"You really scared me." Gray's sparking blue eyes were slate as they fell to the ground. "I honestly didn't know if you were going to wake up or not."

"Idiot. Who do you think you are talking to? I'm not the one who spent a week in a coma. But," the fire dragon held Gray's arms gently in his strong hands, "thanks." His eyes burned somber, green embers filled with his deep heart.

"Where do we go from here?"

Cracking his neck, Natsu's nose wrinkled. He sniffed at the subtle lines laying dead on the still air. He pointed into nothing, over lines upon lines of floating debris toward the stretching horizon. His fingers wove with his man's.

Together they walked over unsure footing. Sideways buildings floated as corpses on the viscous black water. Natsu grunted, jumping into the air with such height, surely he was truly a dragon with massive wings unfurled. He continued to sniff the air, standing atop a pillar among rubble. Something was off. His burning green eyes narrowed, scanning the endless spanning horizon.

Beside him, Gray climbed a clear icy towering staircase until they stood as eagles, together, looking down upon the world below. The steps disappeared behind his feet.

Natsu just tensed further. His burning gaze shot to his beau. That beautiful pale face, crystal blue eyes looked back. But something was off.

"Come on, let's keep going."

"Mmm," Natsu grumbled in the back of his throat as he jumped off the edge of the spire. His black vest flapped, demonic wings whipping just as his fiery pink mane trailed above. He fell to his knee to absorb the impact. The dragon's neck cricked. He sniffed at the air as a beast, a scowl settling over him.

The scent was gone. All the sudden. Just gone? Whipping his head back and forth, a hound on the hunt, he ended up defeated, unable to find it again. Hooking his hands at his hips his fangs closed over his bottom lip.

Gray slid to a stop next to him.

Natsu froze, his beast nose locking onto his partner. That weird dead scent. "Gray?"

The raven's lips winged up, a strange spark lighting over his true blue eyes. Without any sign, he closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around Natsu's muscular frame.

His icy touch graced over his exposed tan skin sending quaking shivers wracking through Natsu's entire body. And then, the raven attacked. He took the dragon's lips with his in such force. Driving. Overwhelming. Natsu's knees buckled. He fell back, a wild grin stretching his lips. "What was that for?"

"You just looked so damn sexy," Gray's pure blue eyes turned to a demon's under a lowered brow.

The dragon's blood boiled. But he clenched a fist. "We can't right now, Gray."

"I need you. Now." He took a step, grabbing Natsu's wrist.

For the first time, Natsu felt a tinge of fear from Gray's look skate through his system. "What's gotten into you."

"I need to feel you. Need to feel that I'm alive."

The fear washed away in an instant under a cool encompassing mist. Natsu gently took his man in his arms, squeezing him.

"Natsu, I need you. Now." Gray's head fell on Natsu's shoulder. His tone changed on the drop of a dime. All the power flicked to desperation. He whimpered, "please."

Taking Gray's lips with his, Natsu's eyelids fell. Before he knew it, his hands were weaving around his man's svelte body. Feeling every line. Caressing. He didn't know what came over him.

Together, they collapsed onto the ground.

"Natsu," Gray trembled under the dragon's touch.

Slowly, Natsu raked his fangs down the smooth exposed skin. He surrendered all he was, becoming his most vulnerable, as he slid into the connection that was more than his body. He felt the earth below him. Could feel the thrum of the planet. He could feel his entire world under his touch.

His fingers trailed down, sliding under Gray's waistband just as he kissed the raven's neck. He gave all that he was to his partner. Opening his heart. Their lips met just as their arms entwined. They stayed for a time, just in each other's arms.

Chest to chest. Skin to skin. Touching their brows, Gray inclined his head, his lips teasing a feather's touch over the dragon's. "Please, babe. I need you inside of me, now."

Natsu's mind snapped. All thought fled in an instant leaving only pure animalistic instinct behind. The dragon reared, pinning his mate down. Blue eyes filled with such need stared up at his. They overwhelmed him.

He took Gray then, ripping off the icemake wizard's pants. Driving into him, claiming him, Natsu's white fangs shone in a massive grin. Under his hands, he squeezed strong muscle. Leaning in, the wild pink maned dragon's tongue snaked out between its fangs. It licked its mate's neck. Tasting. Savoring.

Opening its maw, its fangs sunk into supple pale skin. Underneath him, his trembling mate's entire lean frame arched up into his. They fit together as a puzzle piece.

Natsu licked his lips, his tongue flicking over the crimson life. His heart pounded a cacophony in his chest, thundering. Blood throbbed in his ears.

His breaths came short and ragged as his hips drove. His tongue wove with his mate's, sharing his taste. He felt himself building, his blood pressure skyrocketing until his body was sure to explode. All he could hear was his pounding heart and the sweet sultry moans of his man. All he could smell was blood. All he could taste . . .

The dragon growled, roaring as it broke free to the sun. Natsu collapsed on his mate, softly nuzzling Gray's neck. Agile fingers weaved through his pink hair, eliciting low purrs rumbling deep in his throat. The world had stopped spinning for him to lay in utter peace. His fiery passionate eyes closed as he drifted through the sea of stars, high above it all.

"N-Natsu?"

"Mmm, what is it, babe?" The dragon mumbled, rocking the little control he had over his body.

"NATSU!"

The fire dragon's back tensed. He jerked upright. His eyes shot wide.

Gray stood a few feet away, his jaw lolled, blue eyes betrayed. "Natsu."

The fire dragon met that hurt blue gaze, piercing his heart. Slowly, his eyes dropped down, his hands trembling. At his feet, Gray, naked, slept in bliss.

* * *

Next Chapter: Uncertain Tides


	20. Uncertain Tides

Disclaimer: The following is a literary work made for entertainment purposes. Neither the author nor the forums in which the following work appear make any profit off of the distribution of this work. Fairy Tail and its characters are the property of its creator Hiro Mashima. Support the original work.

****WARNING: This story it rated M for graphic and violent content. Only for audiences 18 years of age or older.****

A/N: Wow. Here we are on chapter 20. Thanks to everyone who has supported me and this story up to this point! You've been sticking with me through these long updateless droughts. Hopefully that is going to change very soon. I want to get more serious about my writing and buckle down to get some stuff out there. With the start of a new job a couple months ago and helping my mom through some health problems, I ended up shutting everything else down. I really appreciate reviews that have been posted in the interim. They may seem small, but every time a review came in it brightened up some pretty heavy days.

Now let's see if we can get things going again. There's no shortage of material I want to write so stay tuned.

Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Until next time,  
James

* * *

Chapter 20: Uncertain Tides

Swaying back and forth on the abyss, Gray was a silent spectre gliding over the black glass. The only sound that accompanied him in the void was the soft sploshing of his icemake paddle entering the black water which ate all light, a demon's dark soul. And through the hours, even that tiny sound had faded to the nothing. Gray was stoic, the icy pearl bar of his paddle laying across his thighs.

There were faster ways, Gray knew, of searching through the desolated sunken cityscape. But they all would take more energy than Gray was willing to be parted of. He made due with the light trickle of magic it took to keep his ice canoe - formed from the ice shell he had plunged into the depths with - and the single double bladed paddle.

That, and he wasn't about to play into that demon's hand again. He wasn't going to scramble around in a panic, falling headfirst into another trap. Natsu, he knew - he hoped - would be fine on his own. He was the strongest mage in Fiori after all. Still, a gnawing knot clenched in the bit of his stomach. Gray couldn't shake the feeling that something was happening. It bothered him like the zizzing buzz of a gnat dive bombing in his ear.

But he would keep his icy composure. Nothing was to be gained from rushing now. Neither for him nor Natsu. Taking a deep breath, Gray scanned the horizon in his chilled zen. Around him, fog began to coil and wrap. It was a biting frost where the cold of the ice canoe met the soulless water.

Taking in another breath, slowly centering his mind with his core. Diving into himself, he found the one golden path toward opening to the entire world around. Glacially, eyelids closed over misty blue eyes. His consciousness spread, washing out from his body as the the fog rolled out over the sea.

Lux sat a silent celestial guardian on the top of the icemake mage's raven locks. It didn't so much as shift its weight as its perch opened to the web of connected life.

The ice canoe rocked, jostling them both. But Gray remained utterly unresponsive. His mind empty, his body stoic, only long sweeping breaths filled his chest. The tip of the canoe shifted with each rocking wave. Though it looked as if they were on unsteady tides, it was really the coiling fingers of fog which moved the canoe. It guided in long, ancient motions.

At the apex of the canoe's tip, a wild dragon of pure ice stared down a new stretch of unknown waters. Through translucent wings, it was the ferryman, drawing Gray in tight controlled paths around the broken city. The little light that managed to permeate the black water lake above their heads shone with ghostly embers in the crystal dragon's eyes. Its scales rippled with the black of night.

It bobbed with the gently guiding touch of the fog, breaking through the ominous clouds with divinity. Without any sign of force, the clear Ice canoe pivoted around the partially submerged wicked tip of an ancient stone cathedral.

The dragon pointed its prideful chest toward a shoreline - a series of monolith towers floating belly up. On a layer of viscous fog, the misty ice guided the canoe over jagged floating chunks of the former city. Just as the ice dragon's claws were to kiss the stone, the fog carried the canoe on angelic wings.

Gray stood seamlessly as the canoe descended onto the building's carapace. The ice met stone and transitioned into cottony fog. It surrounded Gray's utterly peaceful face. The white mist kissed his angled features, highlighting his sharp jaw. His raven hair feathered while the mist enveloped him.

He held out his palms, the icy mist dissipating in the heavy air. It shed away to the black. His sharp, crystal blue eyes snapped open. "Found you." Gray grinned, his brow setting over blue flames.

There was no mistaking the fiery soul of his man. He could feel it, though it burned miles away. He knew its beat just as he knew his own heart. Despite his icy composure, Gray couldn't help the tug that got his feet running. Before he knew it he, he was full on sprinting, making a mad dash through the destroyed floating bits of city.

He kicked off from the corner of a roof, mid stride. Landing on a floating door which slid back under his sole, Gray pumped his arms, racing through the maze. Damn it, he cursed himself as he flipped over a submerged wall. He couldn't stop his body from moving. His brain, frozen, logical. His blood burning with the course of his heart.

Lux flew at his shoulder, though his little wings of light beat hard to keep up with the mad dash of the icemake mage. Its beak ground, panicked as its wings thundered.

Despite the split between his iced shell, and the fire that now burned in his veins, a wild grin spread across Gray's face. His raven hair whipped back as he sprinted. Cool mist trailed him as the smokey cape of a flying demon.

Though when he finally neared Natsu, his world tilted. His head first rush hit a brick wall. His chest pounded. Breaths staggered past his lips. And his grin died.

Squeezing his eyes tight, he whipped his head back and forth rapidly. He was - he couldn't take his eyes off of it. It was him. Gray Fullbuster. Lying in a peaceful, hazy eyed dragon's arms. Vertigo upended the ground under his feet, his temples swirling in a sudden whirlpool.

Natsu and . . . a sharp pain lanced across his crystal eyes. It ripped down his spine until before he knew it, he was physically clutching at his chest. "N-Natsu?"

The dragon stirred a little though remained deep in his lolling trance. "Mmm. What is it, babe?"

"NATSU!"

This time the dragon was yanked with one unyielding grasp from his post-orgasm bliss. His fiery green eyes shot open. The instant they registered Gray, a lightning strike of confusion snapped over them.

* * *

"G-ray?" Natsu mind felt lost at sea. His eyes fell to the smooth pale skin of the content Raven wrapped in his arms, pressed against his bare chest. Slowly, his eyes trailed back up. His breaths grew staggered, ragged. His hands started to shake.

Gray, with his beautiful blue shocked eyes,stood slack jawed a few feet away. He stood in just his tight blue boxer briefs, staring with a pain that froze Natsu to his fiery core.

The Gray in his arms twisted. A rich dark, booming laugh emanated from his reddened lips. "You finally got here." The fire dragon blinked, stuptified. In his arms, Gray turned back to him with a thin, wicked grin. His thin wristed hand came up to trail long agile fingers down Natsu's sharp, hard jaw.

His raven hair shimmered into a resonant black. Devoid of all color, it grew down Gray's neck until its wild tips stopped at the small of his naked back. Clear blue eyes drained to bloody pools. They bore into Natsu with a comic laugh.

"Oh, the pure love two can share. To love each other unequivocally and no one else." The naked demon stood slowly, his long lean frame nearly uncoiling. Bones stuck out unnaturally underneath nearly translucent skin. He was a frame, the canvas pulled far too taut. Jutting knifelike edges stuck out under his crimson eyes and sharp shoulders.

His entire face angled far too sharply. His chin narrowed nearly to a point. And his maroon eyes simmered, as if something foul were burning away at their very core. His bony shoulders bounced. He brought up a thin wrist over his laughing lips.

His whole body shook with utter, absolute glee. "How stupid. You both thought that. Oh," his voice dropped sniveling, and mocking. "Where's my precious Natsu? Where is he? I hope he's okay? Natsu. Natsu. Natsu." His cloying eyes dropped back to Natsu who was still frozen in place, his sage eyes unfocused. "And this simp. His first and only thought is of his Gray."

Suddenly, the demon dropped to a crouch. He brushed fallen pink strands from Natsu's brow with the back of his wicked fingers. "Tell me lover boy, how much do you really care about this Gray when all it takes is for someone to look like him and you are head over heels? You don't love him - you love his looks. That's it. That's all you cared about while you were fucking me senseless, lover boy."

He rubbed his the pad of his thumb along Natsu's still lips. "I wasn't even trying hard to trick you. All it took was his body. You don't care one, teensy, tiny, little bit about anything else with him. You don't care about his mind," the demon laughed as he pointed to his temple. His thin, sharp pointed fingernail traced to his chest. "You don't care about his heart. And you know it's true. You know how you felt while you did me. It was the same as him. Exactly the same feeling."

"Natsu, don't listen to him!" Gray stepped forward, slashing his hand through the air.

"Mmmm," the demon's voice dropped seductively. "He doesn't have to, because he already knows what's I'm saying is true. He knows how good he felt."

"Natsu, get away from him!"

The demon snatched Natsu's wrist in his thin-fingered grasp. "I don't think so." His eyes snapped back to Natsu's blank face. "There's no such thing as love, my little dragon. It doesn't exist. The only thing you have is lust." He tugged Natsu into his wiry body. "Thanks for a good fuck, lover boy." His thin lips took Natsu's.

"Get off of him!" Gray thundered. The demon had a split second for its eyes to switch to the icemake mage before a resolute fist if ice slammed into his jaw. The demon went flying.

Gray's whole body shook. He'd shot as a demon from hell across their separation. A deep, feral rumble resonated in his chest. His blue eyes turned inferno as they set.

He took a step.

The demon, laughed, its broken jaw snapping back into place of its own accord. It put a palm on the ground to push itself up.

But before he could get to his feet, a tsunami of ice crashed into him.

Gray took another step. Each time his heel met the ground, crystal ice shards split off his skin. It crawled up his body. Icy scales formed thick over his bare torso. Armor plated over his abs.

Mist snapped with unbarred wrath around him. Each step turned the ground to frozen desolation.

The demon staggered, its long frame swaying as it managed to its feet again. It cracked its neck. And held up a palm. Its eyes burned pure hatred as the black sea rose. It exploded toward Gray from all sides. Until, the black water crashed into him and swallowed him whole.

Sneering, the demon straightened itself. Cracking its neck the other way, its head nearly rotated a half turn around. But then its vile eyes shot wide.

The black water crisped and snapped. The churning ceased. Rapid waves stood still the air. Thundering cracks filled the air with a cacophony. Black ice fell by Gray's feet.

As the cocoon fell, the demon was born. From dragon's fire that now burned deep within him, massive icy wings unfurled at his back. Thick sharpened spikes rose up his spine, twisting and locking in two tapering horns through his raven hair. His skin had given way to blue ice, covering nearly every inch of his body.

The ice uncovered around his neck, revealing pale-blue skin. His still human right hand clenched. Ice crawled out over his fingers forming unbreakable spines, cracking in a scaly hide. As it covered the back of his hand, a single gold triangle shone of the stars.

He took in a single breath, before his eyelids split. The pure blue was now a frosty white. They shown otherworldly.

When he kicked off from the ground, his building-spanning wings tucking, a geyser of ice shot into the air. It was the only testament to his movement. As the ball of his foot left the ice, his fist blew a hole through the demon's torso.

It gasped, thick, pungent, red-black sludge splattered past its lips. Its shocked eyes locked onto the pure white of Gray's. Thin fingers clutched onto the ice gauntlet lodged in its ribs.

"Nobody touches Natsu." The ice dragon rumbled. A gravelly growl punctuated his words. It rattled. Ancient wrath boiled over his tongue.

"Demon," the creature's lips twitched. Its thin fingers, bathed in the black sludge, shakily raised to the ice dragon's massive chest. A nail traced black over the massive frozen chest. "Th-s. Love? You're more demon than I. Lk wat love does." Its words were quickly lost as its blood poured into its lungs.

Desperate wheezing escaped paling lips. It feebly tugged at Gray's arm trying to dislodge itself.

Gray let him.

Falling to the ground, the demon clutched at the hole just below its chest. Black sludge splattered the ground. But slowly the gaping wound closed. Wicked bone sinewed back together, writhing and wrapping like a nest of snakes under the skin that formed.

Anger boiling in its maroon eyes, the demon rose to its feet again. A dangerous smile etched its lips. "You should have killed me when you had the ch-"

The ice dragon lunged, snarling. White fangs shone. An icy fist closed around the demon's thin neck.

An ancient rumble resonated from the ice dragon's chest. Its ice muscles bulged into its forearm, tugging the demon face to face. Gray's breath was in clouds of mist. "You will never know what love is."

Ice rocketed around the demon, speeding out from Gray's palm. In a flash, the demon was motionless, encased behind a clear-blue coffin. Tugging his arm free, the ice shattered. Dim light danced a waltz over the shards as they fell.

As they fell, Gray turned on the ball of his foot. He walked straight back to where Natsu stood, looking off aimlessly. He met those green eyes, but they never saw him.

With each step he took, ice fell away from Gray's frame. The armor of the dragon shimmered as it turned to mist. It washed up, pouring off his skin.

Without a word, Gray spread his arms, pulling Natsu deep into his chest. His hand wove up through the fire dragon's pink mane. He pressed Natsu's head into his shoulder. Holding him. Protecting him. Gently, his fingers wove through Natsu's hair. He squeezed Natsu hard, his chest tight.

Pulling back, Gray shook his head slowly. The pure shire frost in his eyes had melted into a shimmering blue. "Natsu. It's okay now. Natsu," he held Natsu out from him, squeezing his shoulders, "look at me." He looked deep into Natsu's unsteady eyes. If only he hadn't been tricked. If only he'd gotten to Natsu sooner.

When the fire dragon remained unresponsive, Gray dove in. His lips took Natsu's. With that touch, he gave all that he was. His heart was open. His shell gone. All of his love. All of himself he gave to that fallen angel.

But Natsu pulled back. He put a palm on Gray's chest, pushing them apart. His head shook. A hand clutched his stomach while the other covered his mouth. "I can't."

* * *

Next Chapter: Power


End file.
